The Best Things About Having Teenaged Kids
“Sure, they’re cute now. But just you wait until they’re teenagers!”. How many times have Dads (and Mums for that matter) heard words to that effect? How many prognostications have doom and gloom have we heard about the moody and belligerent monsters our kids are going to be? How often are we told to enjoy them while they’re still adorable and uncomprehending? Is it any wonder that parents experience pangs of anxiety when their kids hit the “tweenaged” years of 10-12? That we expect the children we spent years raising, loving and imparting with decent values to metamorphose overnight into angst-riddled antisocial stereotypes like Kevin and Perry?
Of course, raising teenaged kids has its caveats… but so does raising kids of any age. We’ve become too conditioned to expect outrageous mood swings and declamations of parental embarrassment that we don’t stop to think about the cool things that come with raising teenaged kids. For example…
You can have intelligent, grown up conversations
One great thing about having a teenager in the home is that you now have a peer. Someone who you can treat with the intellectual respect and courtesy that you’d afford an adult. You can talk about things more complicated and thematically rich than whether Batman’s harder than Spider-Man (although countless adults have devoted more than enough time, effort and YouTube content to that conversation). You can talk about issues of all shapes and sizes from local politics to gender and identity issues. You can learn about their emerging values, tastes and personality. You get to experience a sense of the kind of adult that they’re becoming.
And that’s really cool!
They can give you a lift for a change!
As your kids get older, your responsibilities as a parent change. Of course you still worry about them. Of course you still need to roll up your sleeves and intervene. But the life of a teenager’s parent is generally more hands-off.
What’s more, as they grow in capabilities and responsibilities, you get to enjoy some perks. Once you’ve found them reliable driving instructors and started their tuition in earnest, you get to get driven around for a change. Plus, they’ll actually thank you for the experience.
Suckers!
You get to guide them through life’s changing struggles
The media has developed a slightly unsettling habit of diminishing and belittling the struggles of today’s teens. And sure, while they may have access to privileges we didn’t enjoy as kids (can you imagine how 16 year old you would have responded to an iPad?) that doesn’t mean that your teenagers don’t experience genuine challenges. Their bodies, minds and attitudes are changing. They don’t feel in control of their emotions at times. It can feel like a struggle to form genuine and meaningful relationships. It’s fair to say that teens have their hands full. It’s not a million miles since we were in the exact same boat. You get to guide them through they struggles and be there for them in ways which your own parents may not have been there for you.
The take home here is to appreciate your kids through every stage of their lives. Because they’ll keep finding new ways to make you happy and proud.
Even if their taste in music is pants!
