I have spent my life trying to stretch the years I have with my son. When he was a baby, I wanted to have the power of freezing the time. I wanted him to be that way for ever. Now he is a teenager, and I still want the same.
Time goes by so fast, and today, like Franz Kafka said, "Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”
I have no respect for people who exploits youth. It shows a big lack of maturity and wisdom. Old people that give orders but don't recognize the hard work and capacity of a youth, to me are just showing their empty soul. I'm not sure if I get to ignore it, because it hurts to see that happening.
Today my son is a teenager. Of course, in my eyes, he is the best. He is a pretty normal boy, with his dreams, and simple ways, totally exceptional in many things he does and the best in many others, and average in the most. But he is amazing to me, and the respect I have for him is more than I can express in words.
Most people may shudder when the word “teenager” is mentioned, but I love them. I love them even when they have attitude. I love them most when they’re swaggering and being rowdy. Teenagers have such fresh and sharp senses of humor, they are loyal and humble, they are not attached to material value — in the end they always make me laugh.
Many times of myself.
We, parents, most middle age, are the results of good or bad choices, or even opportunities we had along our lives. Teens are still trying to figure out all this process. They are on the cusp of coming into their own, past the first awkward years of self-discovery and slowly gaining footholds of confidence on a daily basis.
I had myself in high expectance when I was a teen. I was smart, full of life, intact dreams. Now, more than ever, I can see clearly that teenagers THINK. They really do. They're in a time of their lives where they're defining who they are, what they believe, and beginning to form their core values and directing their dreams to shape their future. My son is my blood. He is even more than I was. I am so surprised with his talents and capacity of everything. He amazes me.
The world today is so mean compared to what it was in my time. Their strength wows me!
As much as I dream that my son will be a great man, maybe a doctor, a genius or a prophet, I respect his limitations and want, from the bottom of my heart, that he will be what he wants to be. More than anything, he and just himself can know exactly what God wants him to be, and where He wants him to go. I can help and be an instrument to help him, but I can't do for him what he must do for himself.
Teens can be influenced. Like everyone else, they have the power to allow themselves to be influenced, for good or for evil. It is the race toward independence. I like to let him know that, as long as I live, or even after, he will always be mommied.
Maybe it is my motherly instinct, I just can't see someone exploiting a teen. Treating them with less consideration than any other professional or authority. When I treat my son's friends with such respect, they are surprised sometimes, and that hurts me too, because maybe life is already with its harshness towards them, and they get apologetic and surprised when they are treated as they should be.
I don't want to be part of a generation that raises low self esteem and anxious kids. I want to treat them like they should want to treat everybody, and be able to know their place. They are full of potential and not bitter with life like we are. They are not less because of their age. They are sons and daughters of Heavenly Father like we are. What's the difference? None. If we want second chances we need to learn to give first chances to these angels.
Many people mistreat teenagers because what they hear or see on the evening news. The tens of teenagers I know are better than the hundreds of adults I live with.
I love the irreverent, passionate, smart, savvy teenagers I know! I literally pray from the bottom of my heart that the world will be open to their dreams, and most will not end up like many adults I know, or that they may get to my age, much better than who and what I am.
I'm certain that if we treat these youth helping them to be confident about who they are, their generation will do wonderful things, and even fix the mess we have done.
I am doing that in my own home and community.
Are you?