Mothering Teenagers

I spent some time resting this afternoon.  After I finished my book, I surfed around my usual sites on the world wide web, hoping that somebody somewhere might have posted something interesting and new.  When all of my usual haunts came up empty, I looked through some "top posts" on my blog reader website (Bloglovin') to see if there might be some new blogs that might prove interesting.

Hmm, hot topics.....

Fashion?  Nope. Snort.  Remember, I spend half my life wearing scrubs....
DIY?  No, I'm too tired. 
Food? Do that already. 
Home décor? Ha ha ha, have you seen my house lately?

Family?  Sure!

I proceeded to start to scroll through Family blogs/titles/pictures and came to the bottom of the page.

It seems that the only people that want to write blogs about Family.....

.....are parents of babies and toddlers.....

Titles and topics included latest ultrasound pictures, moms' advice to other moms about how to get a full nights' sleep, endless pictures of Baby #1 and Toddler #2, #3 and #4, "Mommy Chat" bylines.

I just couldn't get into it.

Been there, done that.

I support all of the MOTHERS AROUND THE WORLD who need to blog about and talk about and ask about and proudly display every gorgeous picture of their blessed and precious babies. Really, I do.

But what about the mothers of teenagers?

Why aren't WE the parents that are out there blogging about parenthood, encouraging other parents of teenagers?  Why aren't WE showing off pictures of our beautiful young men and women and bragging about their personalities and talents?

And why aren't WE out there begging for advice on how to see these beautiful young men and women become wise and mature and successful?

I'm thinking that perhaps we don't blog because our parenting issues just might sometimes strike issues deeper than potty training and napping.

It's not that we're not sleep deprived.  We are, in our own way.  But, sometimes we're sleep deprived because of our own tears - not the tears of our children - but our tears on behalf of our teenage children when life knocks them around a bit.

Temper tantrums have morphed into episodes of hormone-induced teen aged angst.

And there are times that this mother feels every bit as inept at raising these people now that they're half grown as I did when they lay as helpless newborn babes in my arms.
 
My heart for them.....consumed with love

As sweet as it was to hold a (finally) sleeping baby, it's breathtakingly precious to watch a sleeping teen aged boy, hair sticking up, mouth dropped open, legs sprawled, filling up the length and width of the bed, gifted with a deep and restful sleep.  If I could just gather his lanky body onto my lap and let him sleep in the safety of my mother arms. 

Let go, mama, let go.  They need to grow.
 
Hold on, mama, hold on.  They still need you.
 
 
That's probably why we don't blog about parenting teenagers.  We get caught somewhere in between encouraging their independence and supporting their dependence and there are all kinds of lines that shouldn't be crossed because growing up is so personal and private and deep and it becomes less about me as a parent and more about them as 'people in bloom' even though parents themselves experience all kinds of growing pains in the process of parenting teenagers.
 
 
 
What's my point? 
 
I'm not sure.  ;)     
 
<grin>
 
I guess I want to give a hearty "three cheers for parents of teenagers - you ROCK!" because I know that parenting through these years is a big responsibility.  I am struck with the increasing need to be available for my guys even more as they get older.
 
And I want to leave you with a few recent images of these men of mine that I am completely smitten with.  My mother pride has never stopped.  I vow to be the mother who shamelessly posts pictures of the ones who fill her heart, regardless of their age
 
Teen aged boys - I smile.  I grin.  I laugh.  I shake my head.  I applaud.  And  I love.
 
And I'm as proud of their wee faces today as I was when they were toddling around in Bob The Builder underwear.  Woops. Was that supposed to be private?!!
 
Just look!
 
Fist pump over some sweet beach victory!  He roars/lives with vibrancy!

 
 
 
Be still, my soul.  Love that boy.

 
 
 
Not too old yet to be completely buried in the sand.





This one too.  He makes me laugh!
  Perhaps we should have walked away, left them buried in the sand, and seen how long it would take to have them asking a poor stranger for supper.



There were a few more poses in the following progression but here are the best faces of this boy during a week at the lake in a nutshell:










Loves fishin'




Loves sittin'




Brother time at its' best





Mama needs a big stick to fight off the girlies
 




Make that two big sticks.....
 
 
 

 
Next time, let's cook. Or did I say that last time?  Ach, "life" keeps getting in the way.  It's not just what's in my kitchen that wants to be shared; what's in my home wants to talk too.

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