Babies into Teens

Seasoned parents, remember those days when your children were small?  They would look up to you as if you knew everything.  Holding out their hands ready for you to hold.  Wet kisses with slobber left on your cheek.  Smiles that are meant for Mommy and Daddy only.  The giggles and laughter of toddlers filling up your home with love.

Those are wonderful memories.  It seems like so long ago.  Well, considering I have one going into high school... maybe it was so long ago!  Through the years, our relationships change with our children.  We are no longer the "all knowing" parents.  We some how become ancient and kinda dumb as our children transform into teenagers.  How many times has my son told us, "that's the way you did back then.  It's not that way now..."  ??

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him."   Proverbs 22:15

I do try to give my kids some space.  They are in a stage where even giving hugs or a kiss on the cheek is torture.  Not a fun stage when you are a hug-y kinda mom.  (very glad my daughter is not there yet!!)  Would I like a hug without them making a big deal or acting like I am taking them to the death chamber?  Of course!  I just don't see it happening now.  :(

Teenagers can drive you mad.  By now, they know which buttons to push.  They have their own sense of humor, which often enough, include parents now.  Yeah, they laugh at us now which depending on my own mood, is how that goes over! LOL  Some days they are luckily enough to have me laughing with them.  Some days they get the look because they better not push it too far.  Hey, just being honest here! :D

"Fathers, do not provoke your children 
to anger, but bring them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord." 
 Ephesians 6:4

 I grew up in a house with a lot of yelling.  Once my brother hit a teenager in high school, there was plenty of yelling.  About his clothes, his attitude, his friends, his room.  Even though the yelling was not directed at me, it was still there and affected everything.  I don't want my home to be like that.  You shouldn't want it either.  It is not the home life anyone should grow up in.  Yes, we are human and we all lose it once in a while.  It should not be part of daily life.

Teens are a cycle in life.  We all go through it.  What's worse is our beautiful little 6 lb. babies grow into these aliens for a few years. With God's help and guidance along the way, we will make it. Yes, we might have to bite our tongue daily.  Control our temper, after all they know how to push it.  They are worth it.  We are molding our children right now.  As they watch us and see how we handle conflicts, they are learning their own behaviors.  They are learning what is acceptable behaviors. 

Remember, even as our children may grow taller than us....little eyes are still looking up to us.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old

 he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6