Because I Have Teenagers

Yes, I’m still here!  And I have a confession to make. I have been very much mistaken about what happens when your kids get older.  I seriously thought that because my boys could bath themselves, do their own homework and, with a little prompting, do their own laundry, that I would magically find a few minutes to pull out some of my forgotten pastimes. 

I know.  You can stop laughing now.

It’s not all bad.  It’s just not what I expected. This is our Christmas picture. It’s such a good representation of the dynamics around here…  …Older boys all full of crazy, youngest son still snuggly, me wondering if we’ll get the picture taken before Hubby bales out, and Hubby just barely tolerating the whole lot of us.  ;)

My three boys, especially the teenagers, have mastered the art of monopolizing my calendar, car and kitchen even more thoroughly than they did when they were in diapers.  Some days I collapse into bed so tired that I wonder if I’ll even hear my alarm in the morning.  So I set three of them.  Can any of you relate?

Because I have teenagers, I’m learning…

1. Don’t expect anything in particular from teenagers.  They are completely unpredictable.
2. Write everything in pencil.  They’ll make you change it five times.  Better yet, don’t bother writing anything.  Just ask them, “Where to now?”
3. Hide the scissors.  Or one of the Teenagers will loose them in his room.  (Or forget he put them in his book bag and slice open his finger in school.)
4. Triple your food budget.  Male athletes leave nothing but crumbs.  And when they have friends over, even the mice go hungry.
5. Find a soft fuzzy blanket to leave in your car.  It makes the 5 hours you spend each day as a taxi driver a little more bearable. 
6. When your son impulsively joins the swim team, even though he doesn’t know how to swim, go with it.  It will be the cleanest he’s been for a very long time.
7. When one of them drops his cell phone for the 4th time in 16 months, DO take your time replacing it.  The boy will survive.  And so will his girlfriend.  He may even dust off his Nintendo DS and involve himself in real live conversations.
8. Feel free to use bribes.  And food.  It’s the only way to get teenagers to spend time with the family.
9. Enjoy (and remember) every hug.  Especially if your son initiates it.  :)  It will help you not to strangle him ten minutes later.
10. Seize every placid moment to talk about important life stuff.  If you are lucky, you may get 49 seconds per day.
11. Remind each one of your children that God has a plan for his life.  Because He does.  Encourage him to seek it.  And pray for him.

Just my thoughts for today.  :)

Have a wonderful Tuesday!