Okay, I ll be honest. Being a parent scares the living lights out of me. I can come to terms with the fact that I will be with a whiny-yet-cute baby constantly asking for my attention for the first 3 years. Sending him to school and making him do the worksheets is no fun especially if he’d rather watch the cartoon or the game! Keeping his nourishment charts filled is a pain-in-the-wrong-place especially if he falls sick when you’re going through your own period cramps. Don’t judge me folks, I can understand that this life is just not about me and that, being a parent will enrich me in ways I never thought possible. Nonetheless the brutal teenage years which will come all-too-soon, sends the shivers down my spine. Because I remember exactly how bad I gave it to my parents. And they say Karma is a b***h!

Let’s say you remain sane through the war of words and wade through the sea of sarcasm in every word your teen utters. Let’s say that you can tolerate the crazy style statements and crazier attitudes (say, the weather is more predictable!) Let’s assume that the Universe has gifted you with a mountain of patience to tackle all the drama which goes on at home after coming back from a tiring day at work. Wont you still worry to death whether your lil one, who grew up in your arms will end up with bad company, do drugs and go to prison (Sorry for being so blunt. But don’t you??)

So you have had this picture of yourself being the perfect parent to the perfect kid and you struggle to keep up with it through his terrible-twos and frisky-fours and haughty-tens. But hey, you could still go to sleep knowing that you mean the world to your kid. Now when he enters into his Tween, your rating in his charts goes down and down and hits the rock bottom by the time he gets to 19. Now, how do you deal with that amount of hatred? I, my dear friends, have no clue. But I know what my parents did to me. Despite the nightmares that jolt me awake, this gives me hope enough to get me back to sleep.

The brave people that they were, they sludged through it, folks! One day at a time. And they bore it well. The war scars, the broken china and the lazy-ass-good-for-nothing phase. The hateful speeches dripping with sarcasm and the shameful moments I gifted them with. Ahh.. They gallantly suffered through and never made me feel that I am worthless. Despite of me showing how crappy-a-person I can be, they still trusted me and loved me and cared for me. Yes. They could put that feeling through my thick head and confused teenage heart. They did draw lines, but they respected my space. They trusted me so intensely that I didn’t want to break it.. Well.. as much as I can help it! It IS the teenage after all! 😉

You know, maybe that’s the secret recipe! You don’t make them feel that they have let you down (They will let you down. But you being the adult understands that this is a phase and your kid will return to sanity if you persevere) You don’t make them feel that you’re not proud of them (Well, sometimes you’re not. But mostly you are. Come on, they came out of you. Literally. And guess who brought them up!!? So trust your upbringing and the values you gave them. Trust them to do the right thing.)

You make them feel that, no-matter-what, you’ll be there for them. Period. Not easy. NOT Easy. But does the job efficiently well. You might as well as get a Nobel prize for Peace on the way. But yeah, your kid will hopefully be out of their teens by that time. Bless ya. #Respects

What are your cheat cards to manage your teenager? Share your inspiring stories here. Trust me, you’d be doing community service! 🙂

Peace out,

Anna