Posted on Nov 30, 2017 in
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TEENAGER Success 101 | By Dr. Rebecca Deurlein –
I’ve heard a lot of words associated with parenting teenagers. Exasperating. Frustrating. Confusing. Very rarely do I hear someone exclaim, “I’m SO happy to be raising a teenager right now!” If I do hear it, it’s generally dripping with sarcasm.
But the reality is that teenagers really are quite a bit of fun, and they embody some lessons we would all do well to learn. So this holiday month, spend some time reflecting on what makes your teenagers wonderful and why they are actually a huge blessing in your life.
Need help focusing on the positives? Think about this:
Teenagers keep your argumentative skills honed. You have to be sharp in your thinking and your decisions, or they will call you on it. They will ask why until you want to strangle them. But be grateful, because they’re forcing you to ask yourself why, and I don’t think we do that enough. A little introspection never hurt anyone.
Teenagers are still children in a lot of ways. They will make side-splitting comments. They still take joy in the seemingly small moments. Their silliness and appreciation for all things farcical make them perfect companions for watching comedies, cracking jokes and having fun with the eccentricities of extended family members. One year over the holidays, my teens started a quote list for a particularly “interesting” family member visiting from out of town. They kept the list in a kitchen drawer. When the annoyances threatened to bring out the worst in us and the week was beginning to stretch everyone’s nerves a little too thin, one of us would depart to the kitchen, open the quote list drawer, and laugh. I never would have thought to do that on my own. Leave it to the teenage brain to create a unique escape from visitor stress.
Teenagers are adults in a lot of ways. They are sensitive, can be thoughtful when they want to be and understand way more than you realize. You can talk to them, even about the big stuff, as they are quite deep and are able to understand adult issues much more deeply than you suspect. They can be wise and offer new perspectives.
Teenagers love you and need you. They don’t show it all the time (that’s what dogs are for), and they may not say it, either. Heck, they may not even realize it. But every time they sit next to you at dinner, ask you for advice, tell you a story about their friends or even shuffle into the kitchen in their PJ’s, they’re telling you that they trust you, that you offer them a safe haven and that they even enjoy your company.
Teenagers keep us young. They blast all the latest, greatest hits, use ever changing acronyms (GOAT, anyone?), know the perfect emoji to use in any and all situations and remind us what it was like to fall in love, become yearbook editor and earn an “A.” We watch them play sports, and it takes us back to our glory days. They introduce us to new technology, download apps on our phones and make sure we don’t wear anything embarrassing. Without them – let’s face it – we’d be stuck in the past.
So you see, you have a lot to be grateful for when it comes to raising teens. They may wear you out, but they also build you up and bring joy to your life. Enjoy them now, because in a few years, you’ll be hoping and praying that they’ll be home for the holidays.
