Now that I have 2 teens off to college really soon, I realize that my job as a personhood leader (read my post Parents as Personhood Leaders) is even more important that ever! Being a teen is hard. Raising a teen is harder. It takes patience, listening, empathy, more listening, perseverance, and more patience. It doesn’t end when kids drive themselves about nor when they leave the nest. Parenting just changes. My kids are not my friends. They are my children and I, their one and only mother. No one will ever love them as much as I do and I make that abundantly clear. My actions are based on this motherly love, with all my best intentions wrapped up. This doesn’t exempt me from making parenting mistakes, but it helps us acknowledge the fact that I’m here for the long journey in life…parenting long. ❤︎

Listening is hard for me, honestly. I’m a talker and a fixer. I truly pray to be a more effective listener and pause on my opinion. I often ask my kids, “Do you want me to simply listen or offer advice?” And they have come to understand what they need in that moment–an ear, shoulder, or wisdom. Parenting strong is more complicated the older kids get. There are more delicate conversations (relationships/sex), hard choices (parties/underage drinking) to navigate, and real-life pressure (college, employment). But that doesn’t mean we parents wither away and let them take the wheel. We are still personhood leaders guiding conversations, offering support, weighing pros/cons along side them. While dialogue can be tense or minimal at times during this stage, our commitment to being there should offer reassurance that they don’t have to do it all alone…parenting strong. ❤︎