Don't Make a Drifter-Give Them A Foundation

I love my teens, I love all my kids...but when you are frustrated with them you can't just throw in the towel and decide "that's how they are" and let them go on their way. There is behavior I don't approve of, and boundaries they can't go past they they are well aware of. Will they push it? Yes. Do I let it go? No. Parents can't just assume their kids 'are who they are' and leave things alone to work itself out, they need to be proactive. I can guarantee that if I didn't have a road block or two in my way, I would have gone down the wrong road many times. My parents were there to steer me in the right direction, and I fought against it many times. So will my children. But I will never, NEVER abandon them to suffer through on their own. I guess that's just how I was raised. So if you have a 'bad' or 'difficult' teen that is going down the wrong road, take a look at yourself. Take a LONG look at where you should have stood up and said 'no'. Did you set those boundaries, did you say no, right from the start? Or did you imagine your child to be his own person right from the beginning and stand back and watch? Cherish their uniqueness, but understand God gave them to you to be molded. Step up and do what a parent should. I struggle, Lord knows I do, but I know each one of my boys is special and has a wonderful life ahead. And one day, one day soon, they won't need me anymore. That is my hope. ♥