“Maybe it’s because i’m a teenager.”

My daughter responded to me the other day with one sentence the other day that hit me hard. 

“Maybe it’s because I’m a teenager”

Oof.

My reflex response was I acknowledge that and being a teenager is closer to being an adult than you even realize. 

Which is true. If I would have started building the right mindset at 13 there is no telling where I’d be today. 

HOWEVER, it stopped me in my tracks truly. She said that to me, in confidence. I was going on a mini rant about her picking up after herself and helping me more because I have so much on my plate. I couldn’t understand why she just naturally didn’t WANT to help me more. 

She said “Maybe it’s because I’m a teenager.” Period. Nothing else. She isn’t wrong either. 

Most parents now and back then would have immediately been angry and pulled the back talk card. I probably would have been in trouble to be honest.

She doesn’t have the mindset I finally have at 33 years old. I have to guide them and show them the right things to do. It won’t take one day. It will take years and years of guidance, patience, grace, and love. 

Eric Thomas (my absolute favorite speaker) said “Building strong children is easier than repairing broken adults.” Facts.

We have to slow down. We have to find balance between looking far ahead at the long run and the end goal, while providing guidance and again, grace. This is their first time being their age. This is my first time parenting their ages. 

I vow to not let the moments of our days together be filled with stress, pressure, or negative energy. I want us all to remember these years we have together as happily as possible. Life is hard. On the hard days, let’s love each other even harder. Let’s use our words to build, not break.

All of us in every situation. 

Happy Tuesday.