Teens

Enjoy the sweet memories of snuggling on the couch and bedtime kisses but appreciate the independent, free-thinker you are raising.

It’s important for parents to teach their teens about the dangers of distracted driving, but it’s clear that a simple talk may not cut it. The distracted driving epidemic is a problem that will require some out-of-the-box thinking to solve.

I think kids need to have age-appropriate awareness of serious issues. Problems like rape, human trafficking, and pornography can affect his or her life and should be discussed.

Listen, I appreciate that you have provided me with the opportunity to use the bathroom without interruption and to take a shower every day. I love that you have my three boys playing together and cheering each other on. I could kiss you on the mouth for seriously diminishing the number of times I heard "I’m bored" last summer, but come on. I miss my kids.

I wish you more than painted platitudes sold in craft stores. I wish you more than pursed-lips, hands-on-hips selfies. I wish you more than posted-on-social-media happiness. I wish you joy and gratitude. I wish you purpose and grace.

Let's remember the immense pressure they are under. Let's be their biggest cheerleaders. Let's see their passion and enthusiasm and global awareness and heart for social justice. Let's hold them to a high standard and tell them in every way that we believe in them.

Parenting high schoolers requires us to shift our strategies from how we were parented. It’s going to look different from “back in my day.” Rather than expect my kids to fit into the paradigm of my experience, I need to be willing to adapt to their reality.