A friend emailed me a picture of her daughter starting primary school and said, “Wow, she’s growing up.” Oh, I remember the heartache! But as a kind older cousin/sister/internet best friend, I’d like to reassure anyone who needs it that parenthood doesn’t end after toddlerhood, preschool, and primary school. Your kids will still need you. And, in many ways, I think parenting only gets more and more fun.
On that note, here are 10 things I love about preteens and teens.
1. Watch a TV show together that you actually enjoy? Instead of struggling to watch Bubble Guppy or Rescue Bots, we can now friend and Brooklyn Nine-Nine(Prefer watching with older kids? We’re always open to suggestions.)
2. Texting with your kids is a lot of fun. The other day Anton was sleeping over at a friend’s house and texted me in the middle of the night, “Goodnight Mum.” Another time, I texted Toby, “I love you so much. You and Anton are the joy of my life,” and he simply texted me, “I get it.”
3. You can actually carry things. The kids who have been dragging me around for years are finally bringing me pizza and groceries. This interesting reel.
4. You can practice self-care together Toby and Anton are obsessed with cleansers and moisturizers and love using them My ice rollerThe best part is that they always go to Sephora to smell the cologne (they always wear Dior Sauvage lol).
5. After years of teaching them about consent, they will be more respectful of children, friends, and adults.and more Keanu Reeves hand hover. my heart!
6. You may be overwhelmed by your children’s deep thoughts. At bedtime, Anton chats about cowboy boots and skateboards, timeThese days he wants to hear my thoughts on politics, culture and what happens when we die. It’s really amazing to watch children’s minds grow.
7. They actually got better at the game. And it makes you spend money.
8. He massages your feet while you watch a movie. It only costs $1 per minute!!!!!!!
9. You will witness them grow. I tear up when I see Toby babysitting a toddler (he says, “Oh, that’s Tired“Ask the grandmothers in your neighborhood how they spend their mornings and you’ll find that they’ve overcome years of hardship to become resilient and empathetic.
10. But no matter how old they get, they will always be your babies. xoxoxoxoxo
How old are the kids in your life? If you’re a parent with preteen/teenage kids, what would you add?
PS 21 Completely subjective rules for raising teenage girls and boys.
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
