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Raising
teens can be a challenge, but sometimes you have to uncover the humor in
difficult situations. It’s not much fun telling your child over and over to do
something, only to have your request fall upon deaf ears. I no longer get
frustrated…I write about it.
The antics
of my teenagers have led me to compile a list of ways parenting is like the
statute of limitations. The list is below.
A statute of
limitations for parenting can be interpreted as….
·
The
length of time your teen can leave his living space unkempt before you lose
patience.
·
The
length of time your child can live in your house after graduating high school –
if your almost adult teen still has trouble keeping his room and the rest of
the house clean, it may be time for him to branch out on his own.
·
The
length of time your teen can continue to ask for money without establishing a
repayment plan.
What’s a
parent to do while waiting for the statute of limitations to expire? Come up
with survival techniques. Here are a few to get you started
.
·
Practice
deep breathing techniques before responding to any crazy request from your
child.
·
Set
boundaries and stick to them (good luck with this one, it may mean sacrifices
for you, but it can be done).
·
Love
your child no matter what. However, it doesn’t hurt to come up with a mantra…”I
can do this, I can do this, I can do this.” You can be more profound than this,
but this give you an idea. A favorite quote or scripture works well too.
How does the
statute of limitations relate to parenting in your household? Have you
experienced any parenting challenges lately? Write about it, you’ll feel
better.
