Category: teenage stuff
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The biggest question
“I want you to give me an honest answer. Don’t say yes just because you are my mom.” I feel a bit overwhelmed by all the emotion and responsibility. I play the devil’s advocate often. Also, inadvertently I use reverse psychology and things turn out just right. “Could this work?” She asks. “We are so…
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First hike in august
With mom and dad we could do only some light hikes. And our feet were already itching for the hills. We get ready with the promise of tired legs at the end, a heart pumping healthily in our chests, sweat running down our backs and a clearer mind. I felt teary driving up to the…
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Rescue
Ivy invites me every evening to reflect on the day and pray with them. When Jackie said she doest feel like praying, my heart aches. She is not grumpy, or moody, or tired. Her mind is elsewhere. And after I call her out on her recurring attitude, she said she doesn’t know how to talk…
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About faith as teens
You are prickly when you feel that others expect or demand more of you than you are willing to give. It’s a defense mechanism – a gut reaction. And surprise-surprise: it’s healthy. If you would tone it down before you figure out why you feel this way, you may miss out on an important lesson…
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“oh-wow” the 4 stages of 2026 for J
The best season yet. I catch the drifts, the disconnection, and reconnect easily. We don’t take it personally, and we trust the deep love we share. Is it hard or easy to believe that I have disappointed & frustrated this daughter of mine plenty throughout the last decade? I loved her well and with clear…
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tagging along
Sometimes I think my daughter can compartmentalize better than me. She probably can, as she has fewer boxes to sort. There is this sweet spot of nearly teen, where loyalty and attraction and simplicity meet. Of all the people who expressed an interest in her, she likes only one, in a very nonchalant, relaxed way.…
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Be curious
When she comes to me wide eyed, worrying that something is wrong with her feelings, I smile and tell her to slow down & observe her emotions. It may be my saving grace, to have this insatiable hunger to understand, and the difficult-to-manage feelings become tame, as I look at them with wide eyes and…
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End of school year
This school year was as we hoped it would be. Smooth coasting, even with Jackie’s afternoon classes, and a possibly hectic schedule. The individual time I had with each girl was awesome. And I had energy and attention. We set boundaries and we respected them. Jackie continued to play the clarinet at home, nearly daily.…
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Family hike
It is how we enjoy nature at a slow pace and let our minds unwind. It is how we connect, shoulder to shoulder, and we build endurance, physical and mental. I love the girls resilience and positive attitude even when it’s ridiculously hard to continue to put one foot in front of another. Conrad longs…
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Perception of self
An honest X-ray of the relationshipAwakened to what meets the eyeBeauty. Restraint. Lust.Not knowing quite what to do with this assault of imageryBeauty perceivedRushed into the brainMaking camp Small at first but taking over Teenage brain unguardedCurious and hungry Go back to simple thingsCars and superficial conversationsBasic knowledge of the otherDistance and rest She pushed…
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Average
“Coasting the average life. Made comfortable by the parents.” We function motivated by our own experiences and often times we overcompensate. I usually lay down the facts in front of us. Without judgement. Without trying to manipulate emotionally. – This is how the world was when I was a teen. This is how I adapted…
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Hospitable to teenage guests
How hard can it be? But also: how impactful? Go the extra mile. The extra 10 miles in Cluj traffic towards Floresti. I was not planning to be out for so long. I jumped in the car to go get their luggage so they can go to the mall, but there was a mixup of…