Parenting adolescent boys is akin to playing tug of war. They want you to park as far away as possible when picking them up from basketball practice but need you to listen (and *gasp* maybe even hug them) when their team loses the tournament. One minute you are “the meanest mom ever” and the next…
Tag Archive: raising teens
Overcoming the sense of entitlement
If you ask my children what they want for their birthday it will most likely be some type of electronic device. Jared got a new cell phone last week for his 14th and Matt is already talking about what he wants for his birthday in September. We are a fairly conservative family financially. We don’t…
Happy Birthday, Jared
You are confident. You are social. You are proud. You are moody. You are intelligent. You are funny. You are generous. You are friendly. You are industrious. You are passionate. You are…. a lot like your mama. Which is why we bump heads and disagree and say we are sorry and move on until the…
What is a friend?
We have been talking friends a lot in the Smallwood house. Peer pressure is a force my boys are not immune to in the least. And, friends are important. We were created for relationship…with God and with others. However, at this stage in life kids begin to rely on their friend’s opinions more than their…
Think on these things
As our children get older, it is important to place decision making in their hands more and more. Where better for them to make mistakes or missteps then under the umbrella of our authority and guidance? While it is easier said than done for this mama to relinquish control (hello? I am a recovering Type…
Savor the Moment
They are stinky. They are sarcastic. Their gangly arms and ever growing feet take up the whole couch as they sprawl out to watch Little People, Big World with their dad and I. They laugh at things I find inappropriate. They leave their boxers on the bathroom floor and leave the cabinet doors open in…
Internet Safety for tweens
Keeping my kids safe online is something I think about a lot. With teen/tween boys I am aware of the temptations and predatory dangers lurking online. We have taken some precautionary measures, such as putting the computer in the family room. My thirteen (almost fourteen *sigh*) year old has a facebook page but I have the…
Sexting: Harmless Fun or Serious Issue?
Welcome to the first edition of Teen/Tween Thursday where each week I will be tackling an important issue facing our kids. I am a mom of 12 and 13 year old boys, a 16 year old (bonus) son and a 15 year old sister. I was a teen mom so I am fairly young (31)…
