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Parenting is not for the faint hearted!!

By David

Parenting is not for the faint hearted!!

Nothing tries me more than being a parent of teenagers!! If its not the constant bickering between siblings then its the ever present demand for transport/time/money. It wears me down, pushes me to the limit and presses all my buttons. And yet there are times of laughter, joy, pride and contentment. Why does it have to be this way!!

In particular I hate those times of beligerent indenpendence and disregard for me and my status as parent. At such times they assert that they know best and that they know what to do and that they don’t want advice and they don’t want help (unless its financial). In short they don’t want to have anything to do with me unil they need something and then its all “lovey dovey”. What I struggle with is the wild ride of emotions. One moment I’m battling with extreme anger as I cope a barrage of abuse, the next I am overcome with deep concern for their wellbeing and future. Love and anger does not mix well and I must admit that I do not always handle it well.

It has given me, however, an amazing insight into how God must feel when he surveys his creation. What love he must feel as he looks out on all he has created, what joy he must feels at the potential and possibilities. And yet how great his anger must be when he sees how we seek to be independent and disobedient of him, not caring that all we have comes from him.

It has shown me what a staggering thing it was for him to act on his love and die on the cross for me.



Your Comments:

Thank you for putting into words exactly how I feel re my nearly 18 year old daughter.  Like you, I’m sometimes winning and sometimes losing when it comes to dealing with the mind-bending manipulations.  I try and remember that God’s mercies are new every morning and therefore mercy and grace are to be extended to her on the same basis.  I am learning however, that I am a mother always (and that often means saying no to destructive choices) and only a friend sometimes.  regards Elizabeth

Elizabeth Lamont on 09/02/2008

I am going thru this now with 3 teenage boys.
God has showed me the need to set some other boundaries.
In the words of dr Phil “you teach people how to treat you!”

donna on 24/02/2008

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