Waiting is the Hardest Part
Life with a 15 year old is certainly all it's cracked up to be. They say that by the time a child reaches age 12-13 you've done all of the teaching that you can do, and after that it's just a matter of "guidance". Well, this is a scary truth, and living it out is full of dilemmas. At 15 my eldest has lost all motivation for doing well at school. He is an all around good kid - not a trouble maker in the least - he is kind, helpful, courteous, and quite fun to be around......................he's just lost all motivation for completing schoolwork. How does a mom deal with this? I'm not so sure.............................
Gone are the days when I could put him in his room, spank him, take away his favorite toy, give him a stern talking to, etc. He is a young man who must find a way for himself, and in order to be motivated, he needs to decide for himselft that school is worthwhile - no amount of punishment will "make" him motivated.
They say that "waiting is the hardest part". I concur. I see huge amounts of potential in my son. So much in fact that it pains me to see him waste his intellect - I am hurt more than I am angered. I am thankful that at the core I know that God has a plan for him, and that when all else fails, I can trust in this alone.
posted by Heather at 7:14 AM
2 Comments:
I agree Heather....the teenage years are ones that are the most impressionable. These are years where kids really deveop a personality, make real decisions and determine who they want to let into their lives. Guidance, listening and giving them space to develop their identity is the best a parent can do. Tough tactics don't work. No parent ever finds the teenage years easy. The more communication you have with him and the better the relationship, the easier it will be. Teens are generally not looking at their parents as friends but rather role models. Love the puppies BTW.
Hang in there!
Steve R
www.teentalkblog.tv
www.kidfluence.tv
That is so true that you can really only guide at this phase. I have five sons 17,15,12,6, 1.5. Its a beautiful age, but also one that takes a lot of patience and love.
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