The One Thing NO ONE Told Me About Raising Teenagers

Moms of littles, can I tell you something?

It will still be hard.

I know you don’t believe me.

I didn’t.

For YEARS I heard moms of older kids say things like, “You think that’s hard, just wait until he…” and I would smile and nod but make a bunch of rationalizations in my head.

At least you are getting a full night of sleep.

At least now he dresses himself and poops in the toilet.

At least he doesn’t throw himself on the floor and pitch a fit in Target.

But guess what??

They were RIGHT. It is still SO HARD.

Eye rolls and arguing and boundary pushing and silent treatments and endless screens and dropping him off for an afternoon with his friends along with a few silent prayers…God, please keep him safe.

It’s hard.

But can I tell you something else???

It is so GOOD too.

No one told me about that.

No one told me just how amazing it is to watch this little person you met at his very first breath GROW UP. Even way up over your own head!!!

No one told me what a gift it is to watch your precious baby become a confident young man right before your eyes.

And I want YOU to know.

You will marvel at what he is capable of.

One day you will sit talking and laughing with your Whole Heart next to you in the car on the way to basketball and just smile ear to ear because it is so beautiful to see the person he is becoming.

You have always loved him, of course…

But guess what???

You will LIKE him so much too!

You’ll be a little sad as he grows, but you’ll mostly be so grateful to be a part of it all. It is such a gift it is to watch him GROW!!

Hard, yes. But so very lovely.

No one really told me about that part, and I want you to know.

Moms, it is hard today.

It will be hard tomorrow, too.

Different hard. But we can do hard things.

And it is SO GOOD, too. Really good.

I promise.

I’d love to share my new book with you! Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife: A Woman’s Guide to Health in the Body You Actually Have