by Sara Kline
Welcome.
I want to personally welcome you to the ups and downs of parenting a teenager! While it is a challenge, it has been one of the most rewarding phases of my time as a parent. Friends will start to be mean. Tears will be shed. Periods will start. Odors will become more prominent. Hands and feet become weapons. It's all a crazy whirlwind of emotion--for both the child and the parent.
BUT, there are conversations; sometimes silly and sometimes deep. The days of just telling your child to do something and them obeying are over. They no longer take what we say at face value--they question, challenge and grow. You get to watch your child begin to transform into an adult and start to make decisions for themselves. Sure, some (okay many) of those decisions will get them into trouble or disappoint, but that's the beauty of parenting a teenager. We get to be there to pick them up when they fall. And, we pray. We pray ALOT.
Know that I am no expert. I tell my kids daily, I am probably screwing them up somehow. But also know that I believe that raising a teen means being authentic and sharing in the messy stuff. So, I am here for you. If you need to vent, process or just share what's hard and what's fun. Hang on and enjoy the ride.
Sara Kline
Sara is a parent of a teenager at Redemption Church, former youth pastor at Redemption Church, member of Redemption Church, and currently works for Youthfront.