Little children, headache; big children, heartache. ~Italian Proverb
It is getting hotter here in Florida, or maybe it just feels like it to me. Yesterday was the first time the boys had to dress in full pads, talk about hot! But they were dying to get out there and do some hitting. They love the fact they have permission to level someone to the ground, because normally at home that is just not allowed. We had an extra boy all day yesterday and today; that is when the strange thought of “well maybe I could have had one more boy” enters my mind. But as soon as the thought enters my mind I wake up from dream land and realized that I am blessed with enough =)
Living with a teenager we are blessed with stinky bodies, and growing appetites. Suddenly Mom and Dad don’t know that much and every word we say is met with an argument. “The sky is blue today,” Mom says. “No it’s not, it has white in it also,” teenager argues. These are the days when boy teenager becomes brave to butt heads with Daddy. Just so you know my husband has a booming voice that can make anything run back into its hole, and he has a big presence. So here is skinny, I don’t get enough to eat teenager, trying to butt heads with, Daddy, I can out yell you any day. This makes some nights in our house sound like grenades being thrown. I do find I have leverage these days, if the boys are giving me grief on a particular day I casually mention I am going to talk to their football coach and make them do extra up/downs, or laps. You hear much groaning, and let me tell you, you only have to follow through ONCE before they believe you (I’m just saying…). =) Football coaches support parents like that.
Being a teenager is the time where you want to assert your independence but yet want the shelter of knowing Mom and Dad are only an arms length away. It is like dealing with an 18 month old, but only bigger and louder. I will always remember a joke, I believe it was James Dobson who said many years ago: “While your child is growing, keep them in a barrel with a hole open, then when they become a teenager plug the hole up until they are 25 years old.” I think I can understand that joke more and more each day.
Having a teenager is fun, he can tell jokes, we can talk current events, and I can talk to him more than I can talk to his brothers. But having a teenager also, means being told you are wrong constantly, they challenge everything you say, and they make sure you have no pride whatsoever left. Sometimes I think God gives us children to keep us on our knees, and pride out of our life.
The toughest job you will ever love…..if you survive =)
I am sure my parents are mumbling something like:
Few things are more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their own. ~Doug Larson
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