15 Moms on Why Parenting Teens Is Actually Pretty Great
Every parent of a toddler having a public tantrum or a preschooler having a meltdown has probably heard some version of the following: "Oh, just wait! Someday they'll be a teenager!" or "Bigger kids, bigger problems!" Even though it is never helpful to tell someone who is in the midst of a bad parenting day that things are going to get WORSE someday, we've started to really hate the bad rap that parenting teenagers can get. Although we're never going to claim that having teenagers is easy (as if!), we're also here to say that parenting teenagers is actually kind of great!
Having teenagers can feel like a high-stakes phase of parenting. There are some big life choices that happen in this part of life (sex! drugs! college! oh my!) and it can feel like their actions have a lot more consequences than they used to. And even though teenagers are smart and funny, they're also turning into the adults that just might save the world, at least according to the 15 moms who shared why they really love parenting teenagers. Read on for some inspiration and celebration for the big kids who we still love like they're our babies!
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Travel Buddies
"I love traveling with them! They are up for almost anything and it's so fun to explore/discover new things alongside them, vs. teaching/showing them things. Traveling with little kids is the ACTUAL WORST. Traveling with teens is fun." — Emily R., Florida
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Understanding Life Didn't Start With Them
"Mine are just starting to understand that their dad and I had a whole life and marriage before they were born, and they actually seem interested or surprised or at least appreciate when we tell them things about our lives." — Tara W., Minnesota
Glimmers of Good Judgment
"Watching them come into their own, showing glimmers of good judgment, being kind, thoughtful, considerate, and seeing adult behaviors I want for the world, demonstrated in tiny flashes, by humans I help to grow, is pretty amazing." — Perrie E., New York
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The Hard Work Pays Off
"I love seeing all the hard work pay off. All the helping them to figure themselves out. All the teaching of morals and boundaries. What makes a person a good person vs a jerkface. And then seeing them grow and thrive with amazing friends and interests that excite them.
"I love the sense of self discovery and then the awareness of it they don't have when they are little. And then talking with you about it. And I love love love reminiscing with them about their childhood. How they remember it vs how you did. And absolutely how profound and funny and insightful and thoughtful they can be, while also being completely oblivious to snack wrappers, dirty dishes, and random socks everywhere." — Kim P., Arizona
The Debates
"I love watching them develop their own opinions on the world and politics and everything and having conversations with them about these (whether we agree or not) and showing them how to have conversations and debates vs arguments. And learning to enjoy debating while also knowing that you don’t have to change someone’s mind to enjoy it." — Carrie D., Iowa
Interesting Conversations
"I love being able to have authentic, deep, philosophical debates and discussions about current events. My kiddo was a debater in high school so he's wired for arguing and persuasion, but now we can just have much more nuanced and interesting conversations about serious topics.
"I also love that both of my teens are finally coming around and realizing that we have actual knowledge and skills that they can learn from and are asking for advice and help much more frequently! Mostly I love that they are their own unique selves and I really enjoy spending time with them." — Olivia T., Michigan
They Still Need Me
"I think people feel like their teens won't need them anymore and that feels like a big loss. But she still needs me, just in different ways. I'm still her first text when something goes wrong and she actually listens more than she used to when I give her advice. It's nice!" — Kelly J., Kansas
Surprise Bonus
"My daughter is the same shoe size and roughly the same clothing size as me, so a surprise bonus is that shopping is more fun because sometimes we'll pick out a pair of shoes or a coat that we both want and it makes it easier to justify the cost! Also a shopping trip and a coffee run together is just so fun." — Amanda B., Idaho
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