Help! My son's about to become a teenager
Here's Liz Atwood with Tween -- make that almost-Teen -- Tuesday:
This week marks a bittersweet milestone in my life as a mom. My older son will turn 13 and I’ll be the mother of a teenager. Just that phrase fills me with dread.
Before I know it, he’ll be driving, and just a couple years after that, he’ll probably be gone off to college. I’ve already written about how strange it seems that my baby boy is now taller than I am.
I’ve always told myself that my aim is to raise a man, not a boy. I’ve never wanted to hold my kids back from growing up and always was proud when they took steps toward independence and responsibility. I never wanted to turn back time and I still don’t.
But 13 has such an ominous ring to it. It feels like we’re on the threshold of big changes. I wonder if other moms feel the same way.
Comments
Think rudder and dock.
From infancy they have depended on your rudder but at 13 virtually everything that will ever constitute his "rudder" is already on board.
From this point on your role has been reduced to the (still very important) role of "dock". That safe place one can retreat to to weather a storm and to replenish stores.
(There will be a LOT of stores needing replenishing)
Posted by: MrRational | August 4, 2009 3:16 PM
You are not alone in how you are feeling. I have a 13 year old boy who is starting to not need me so much. I am so incredibly sad. I know my son is suppose to practice flying in order to one day leave the nest but, it doesn't make it any easier. I guess we have to understand for the good of our children, we need to be on the sideline and be available to them when they need us.
Posted by: msbhaven | August 20, 2009 5:46 AM