Thursday, June 7, 2007

Parenting as an Endurance Sport

ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH . I am the parent to two teenagers and I swear they are trying to kill me.

Oh no, they aren't so obvious as to do it by coming after me with a knife, gun, or other weapon. They are doing it slowly and painfully; through their actions.

Yeah, sure, they are great kids and I love them dearly. But they are teens. And being teens seems to equate to emotional responses and bad decisions. They do things and make decisions that no rational being can explain...

I'd swear at times that they are actively plotting against us, but that would imply that they had enough energy and gumption to actually make something happen. I haven't observed that to be true. Teens are inherently lazy.

So, PLEASE, if you are a parent that survived the teen years, clue me in. Give me the secret password. Give me hope. Tell me what I need to know to make it through these times. I know you must have felt this way too. Help a sister out!! I'm really having a bad day!!!!

Anyone else, your comments are appreciated, but be forewarned - those little darlings may turn to monsters one day and you'll be looking for the same advice. So come back and check the comments from those who have gone before us. Trust me on this.

17 comments:

  1. so, what you're saying is, it gets harder when they get older???

    doh, why didn't anyone tell me.....? ;)

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  2. If endurance is a requirment then THANK GOD I RUN!!! :D :D :D Cause I'm going to need it :p

    Mom of three boys here..and one is 13 in a few months. I have come to start to LOATHE girls :-X they are some nasty creatures at the ages of 12 and up!

    NOt that boys are all snips and snails by anymeans. They are pretty underhanded and sneaky themselves( not mine yet *crossing fingers* )but more physical then the nasty rumors and such.

    Listen to me go on...lol..i think you hit a nerve ;)

    I'm here if you need to vent.

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  3. Let's see. Here's some things to keep in mind: Kids can join the national guard during their junior year. This comes in handy if/when, say, you feel the need to put them in the Military because they are seriously on a bad path. (I don't mess around).
    Nikki made a good point about teenage girls - they are shrill and hysterical and full of drama and expensive. boys, on the other hand, are combative and sullen and both of them have an incredible sense of entitlement. HOWEVER, girls will eventually become your buds, and boys just seem to kind of drift away...

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  4. My oldest just turned 10. I think I am doomed!! You can do it! Hang in there! Maybe you want my 3 year old for a day and I can take one of your teenagers?

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  5. At some point, years down the road, I'll have 3 teenagers all at once- I hope you've got the secret and pass it on by then. Good luck.

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  6. Patience! That's all it takes. I had 4 at once, and its a waiting game: waiting for them to grow out of the stupid phase. So you see where running and triathlon fit in? Its the only way to keep your sanity!

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  7. Gee, wish I had some advice, but my kids are just so good and sweet...

    BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

    Good luck - I remember how I behaved at that age, so I know I will get my payback in a few years. I keep reminding my kids that God entrusted me with their care and instruction until they are out of school, so I'm just doing my job. Making "my job" the bad guy works while they are 6 and 9...

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  8. Your goal is to get them out of house in once piece, and preferably not preggers if they are femme. Other than that, their isn't much else that matters. Be there to help when you can, offer when its needed or asked for, and be there when they need you. Teenagers are tough, but they insist on making their own mistakes.

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  9. I had twin girls when my oldest was 2 and a half. I still have PTSD from those early years. Only one of my children was a trial during the teenage years, she is now 28 and still a piece of work. My only advice: don't do or say anything that will haunt you into your senior years... like mean things to say to kids that seemed so smart at the time. I wake up thinking about these things and then call my now adult children to apologize... they laugh and say I did a great job considering what monsters they were.

    In other words, it all works out. Even the cave-mothers did it!

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  10. Ohhhhhh dear . . .things to come, things to come. I have NO advice. My oldest is 3 and we're just trying to stay alive dealing with the tantrums.

    ((HUGS)) I'll be knocking down YOUR door when Armageddon hits this house LOL

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  11. Sorry I have no advice, only admiration that you haven't run away to Venezuela and changed your name (my constant threat to my husband) My daughter has been trying to kill me since she was in the womb, now (at 3) she's just using different methods. Only 15 more years and she can move out. And then I'll miss her.

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  12. No advice but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one this is happening to! (I have 2 teen daughters!) Help!

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  13. Thanks for the warning. I have no great advice except for the military and convent is always open for new people.

    I'm dreading when my kid grows up. Dating for my daghter will be the death of me..

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  14. I am afraid of when my 3 girls become teenagers and my boy as well. I agree that they will make mistakes, but it sure doesn't make our job any easier as parents. Good luck and I hope you are feeling better about it now.

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  15. Mine haven't hit the teen years so I can't help you, but I do hear it gets better eventually!

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  16. I am soooooo glad to see that I'm not the only one. My daughter is 17 and my son is 15. I hope everyday that I survive. My training is my sanity.

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  17. I am a 53 year old triathlete. I am a mom who raised 4 teenage daughters. They are all grown up, in their 20s and 30s now. They are all now sane. The are DEFINITELY not the same as the teenage years. Your teenagers are NOT who they are going to end up to be!! I promise! We had 2 of the girls that put us through hell, 3 had to go to private school to get a diploma. They all hated me at times and were vocal about it. I drank daily to deal with the stress. My husband and I somehow made it through this most difficult blended family situation (they all lived with us full time). We had ALOT of counseling for them, us, individual. The best advise we ever got was to go away a weekend a month just the two of us. So we did (there were a few parties when we were gone we understand). Everyone survived, they all love us now, love to hang around us, are having girls of their own (hee-hee). There is light at the end of the tunne! (sorry so long)..

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