In The Blink of An Eye… I Have A Teenager

This post is sponsored by the Center for Parent and Teen Communication. All opinions are uniquely my own.

THEN

I remember when you started walking around our neighborhood holding my hand. You’d stop and admire every construction vehicle and every truck you saw. You’d notice the wheels and I had to learn everything about a backhoe loader. You got giddy when you’d see a yellow school bus. You loved to pass an hour sitting by the local train station, watching the trains come in and out. We’d read tons of books about Fire Trucks. You loved seeing all the different modes of transportation and you’d talk about the trips you wanted to take with me. In The Blink of An Eye… I Have A Teenager

NOW

Now, you’re the one who’s traveling on his own. Taking a subway to get to school and back – by yourself. Crossing the big boulevard to get the Q60 Bus. Walking through city streets to get to your school. You are all about getting someplace on your own and being independent. You no longer point out the different types of tires on trucks but make plans to meet your buddy at the movies. You walk right by the backhoe loader parked near your old elementary school without a second glance. School buses no longer make you smile, you prefer your gaming system. I have to struggle not to kiss you goodbye in public. You won’t hold my hand anymore, but still hug me and ask my advice. You can journey without me and I have to be okay with that, because that was our goal. To teach you to be able to travel by yourself to and back to school this year on your own. You’re managing so many things on your own and I see such incredible growth. I’ll always miss those days when we’d have magical talks about trains, but I’m glad you can now take them to go anywhere you want.

 

Our tiny ones get bigger. You need to see his video.

As a mom of a newly minted teenager, I know there are some rough years ahead. One of the resources I am turning to is The Center for Parent and Teen Communication, which is a must for any parent of a teen. Dr. Ginsburg, the director, offers some good insight advice in this post, “During those moments when you feel the most challenged, draw from the memories of who your children really are.” Read his post — Remember the Best In Your Child and See it in Your Teen .

What memories of your kids make you smile? What are your teens doing now?

#ThenAndNowKids #CPTC