My daughter was amazed that even at 13 she could possibly be approached with offers of sex, drugs and liquor.
One day you are playing with Barbie, the next you are built better than Barbie and getting attention from the opposite sex.
Growing up can bring on a mix of emotions for parents and children.

I am thankful my daughter doesn’t want to grow up too fast, but I have to warn her of the kids who are anxious to try things they are not mature enough to handle.

Dealing with a teen can be tricky. It’s important to establish trust and a strong relationship with your teen. You want to be open but remain respectful. You want them to be able to talk to you while being respectful of your place in their life. You want to guide them as a parent, but discuss topics with them like a friend or mentor. You want to put the rules down without sounding like a Judge or overbearing.
Hell, we have all been teens. We have all made choices our parents may not have agreed with, but most of us can say that those disagreements early on gave us more insight than we will admit. We realized our parents were right, regardless if we want to admit the truth. Now, we are scared as hell that some of our karma will come through our kids.

To be honest, I was a pretty good kid, honor students, not sneaky, stayed out of trouble, but like any other teen I enjoyed my independence and found happiness in making my own choices. The guidance I had through both parents allowed me to think before I made choices. No I wasn’t perfect, but at least I had common sense. Even when I made unfavorable choices, I was able to take accountability and do better the next time.

As I embark on this journey with my daughter, I have been making an effort to keep an open relationship, explain to her critical thinking and give her insight on why she should and should not make certain choices.

Even though some conversations are difficult to have , it is best to lay everything on the table so she will be prepared to handle any situation. Keeping our kids naïve in hopes they will just ignore the chaos will leave them defenseless and more prone to making naïve choices.

As Heaven grows into the intelligent, young boss that she is, she can always depend on me to keep it real and to put her best interest a top priority!

Sending all my parents of teens positivity as they face many challenges!!!

Tahnee Cole