Tweens & Teens 2022 (Island Parent)

Parenting On a
Hope & a Prayer
was a fantastic parent when my kids were young.
I Okay, that sounds egotistical. What I mean to say is I
felt confident in my choices. I knew exactly how I wanted
to raise my babies—love them, provide structure, feed them
nutritious food, expose them to new adventures and teach
them to be kind.
When they turned 13 and entered high school, everything
shifted. Instead of being a hands-on parent, I am relegated
to the role of guide. I have to step back, loosen control and
let them make their own mistakes. It’s terrifying because I’m
never sure if I’m making the right choices.
Let me give you an example.
My oldest son’s bedroom has the best cell phone reception
in the house. Thus my choices when I have an important or
work-related call are to stand in the middle of the backyard
or enter the odorous confines of my teenage son’s bedroom.
On rainy days, I choose the latter.
My son knows I use his room as an office space occasionally
and trusts that I respect his space and his “stuff.” I don’t
snoop. I swear. However, there was one day when I plopped
down on his bed, only to sit on something hard. When I
reached down to retrieve the item from under me, I was absolutely
shocked to find a vape pen.