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Spending more time with my teenager
It’s no secret: I am ill-equipped when it comes to understanding “teenager”. My son and I seem to be on opposite sides of the mental highway lately and it kinda sucks sometimes. Well, okay, most times. He is spending the holiday with his dad in Cape Town and as much as it pains me to be away from any of my kids, I also welcome the much needed break from having to deal with having a growing adolescent at home. But, to be honest, the break has also made me realize that I need to be spending more time with my teenager. And I’m guessing that making him clean the kitchen with me does not qualify as “spending quality time together”. Bummer. Back to the drawing board. Here are a few things I came up with instead: -
Why I don’t pay pocket money for chores
It’s tempting to ‘motivate’ children to do their chores with a little financial incentive. I mean, who’s really winning when you get to pay them just R5 to pack and unpack the dishwasher? But, there is a danger in this and it didn’t take us long to decide, as a family, that chores get done for free. -
Why being a mother sucks sometimes
Being a mother sucks. What? You don’t agree? Wait, maybe I wasn’t being clear: You know all the amazing parts of being someones mom? Stuff like hearing them call you “mama” for the first time and being able to snuggle up next to them as you read Good night, Mouse for the umpteenth time? Well, those things seem extremely over-rated when you’re exhausted after having to change your bedding (thanks to a massive squirt of newborn poop) and then have to referee an argument between a 2-year old and a 15-year old about who gets to sit on the “big couch”. Oh, hi there, excuse me where are my manners. My name is Luchae Williams and I am the proud
ownermother of one newborn, one toddler, step-mom to one primary schooler and mom to one extremely opinionated highschooler. Mental status: Currently losing my mind.I know, I know, I can hear what you’re thinking. And allow me to reiterate: I DO love my children and I am aware that there are hundreds of women who would give actual limbs to be in my position. But hey, sometimes being mom means keeping it real. And the reality is that my kids drive me crazy! Like “Gone Girl” crazy. Like shaving my hair off ala Britney Spears crazy.
Do your kids make you want to go to the toilet to just sit there, and enjoy the silence? Welcome, friend! Do you often find yourself thinking “oh, just go away!” with a smile on your face, while listening to another boring story about soccer? I see you, girlfriend! Have you ever dreamt about your life pre-children, with stars in your eyes and longing in your heart? I feel your pain, Jane! Does feeling this way make us bad people? Uhhh, nope. It’s okay to not be okay sometimes. Being a parent is not easy and if you think about it, no one asked us to be superhuman. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves?
You know the saying about kids being your heart on the outside of your body? Well that’s the truest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. And I’m old… so I’ve heard a lot of things in my life. The thing is, children trick you. They make you believe that you’re going to fall pregnant, or find that perfect adoption agency, or marry that guy, and suddenly be Super Parent… in a land filled with domesticated sunshine and roses and finger painting parties in the backyard. You chat about a future that holds sleepless nights, more expenses and less time for yourself and you actually think that you’re READY for it. But truth be told, you’re never really ready.And once that kid is there, in your world, in living color. Oh boy! There is no. turning. back. You are in it for life! Nothing else will be more important ever again. You find yourself semi-moaning (okay in this case alot-of-moaning) about how your kids tire you out and steal your time but the truth is, you don’t want and can’t see a life without them. And no amount of sleep or glitzy career moves or toned abdominal muscles will EVER come close to the way you feel when they call you mama for the first time or when you’re snuggled up reading Good night, Mouse for the umpteenth time.
You become vulnerable… all your mushy parts exposed… living life with your heart on the outside of your body, in tiny human form. And if you’re a spreadsheet brain like I am, you’ll probably think that being a mom sucks too because it feels SO good to belong to them… to be so weak and yet so strong. It’s beautiful and scary and empowering and so very humbling all at the same time.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s worth it.
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Sneaker LAB Premium Shoe Care Kit: review and giveaway!
When you have a gazillion children, like I do (please, love my drama, don’t hate on it) you’re always eager to find quicker and easier ways of doing things. One such thing has been the saving grace of Sneaker LAB – an innovative premium shoe care product that is helping me keep my teen (and tots) sneakers looking fresher for longer. Yes, it’s possible! Let me show you how (and give you a shoe care kit to try out for yourself!) -
Help! My kid wants to date!
The other day, in mid-‘living my life’, my teen mentioned the word DATING to me. Gasp! My kid wants to date! The outcry! The audacity! The shock and horror!
I tried to not give him a look that said “boy, are you out of your mind?!” Because, I mean, the kid is growing up so it would make sense that he would show interest in this kind of thing.
But dating?!
So many questions came up. Like, would it affect his school work? And what does he expect to GET out of it? Is he ready for the commitment? And more importantly, am I ready for him to be ready for the commitment?!
I didn’t want to scare him away, while I got all up in my feelings, so I excused myself and took a moment to throw a silent, non-violent, facial-expressionless #momfit.
Taking a metaphorical woosah, before responding, gave me some clarity. And honestly, guys, up until the other day my boy had no interest in going to school dances or hanging out at a mall with friends because his XBox and younger brother were more than enough entertainment. We are very lucky that he’s content and not living past his years. But hey, he’s growing and changing and the last thing I want to do is make him feel as if he is doing something wrong, when he isn’t. So we had a heart to heart of sorts…and it wasn’t all that painful.
4 tips for tips for when your teen wants to start datingValidate their feelings
Teenagers are like mini-adults and the best thing you could do for your mini-adult is to validate their feelings. Let them know that you GET them. So that’s what I tried to do. I mean, hands up if you’ve done something forbidden behind your parents back. *raises all the hands* Yep, those were my hands. All of them. I’ve been there and I don’t want my children to feel as if they have to go down that route too. So we spoke about the girl/girls that he likes and how it’s okay to like someone and admire qualities about them.You don’t need to act on it
But with that said, we also explained that you don’t always have to do SOMETHING about it. Peer pressure and the “prescribed norm” ages our kids way faster than they are mentally ready. We explained that it’s okay to have friends that are girls and to hang out with them etc. But that doesn’t mean that you have to “cuddle” and *shudder* all these other things that his friends are doing. We spoke about sex. Yes, we didn’t use other words to sugar coat it. Sex is sex. I know his stance on it, but I also explained that both Chris and I had kiddies when we were still kiddies (remember, I told you guys that we had our sons before we even met) so it’s totally possible to go from “cuddling” to “more than cuddling” without even knowing that you’re headed there!Lay down the law
Once all the mushy stuff was said, I also had to lay down the law, because I’m the big person and he’s the little person (okay, okay, GROWING little person) and that’s how it works around our parts. We chatted a bit about what it means to be in a relationship and he agreed that maybe 16, 17, 18 (more like 30, 31, 32! aack) years old is a more mature age to commit to a whole other person. We spoke about what that would mean, how we would support him (chaperoning dates etc) and that he has all this time now to think about what it means to be in a relationshipGo easy on ’em but also, don’t
We laughed a lot and chatted about scenarios. We want our boys to grow up respecting women and treating the ones that they are close to with respect. Yep – I am not buying into that “my son’s a heart breaker” crap. Why? Because I have a daughter, and I will not allow my boy to treat a girl any differently to how we would expect a boy to treat our own daughter. Moms, you are raising someones future husband! You are raising someones future first love! I take that very seriously.Pray!
I figured that this last one right here is the most important, yo. I can’t always be with my kids but I know that God can. So I pray that they will make good decisions and I pray that they will be leaders in their sphere of influence and not followers who easily succumb to peer pressure. If you are a praying parent, it would also be a good idea to pray WITH your kids. It helps them to take responsibility for their feelings and actions.So yes, that was my horrific experience this week. And please, don’t be fooled, all of this looks REALLY good on paper – but truth be told I honestly don’t know how it’s going to turn out. But I do know that I want my kid to grow up to be a really superb adult and I figured that this is a pretty good start.
Moms, dads, what would you do in this situation? Do you have a plan in place for when your little one wants to start dating? Leave your wisdom in the comment section below.
Disclaimer: I received permission from my teen to share this post.
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Stikbot unlocks your kids movie making skills!
It takes a lot to impress my teenage son. I mean, everything is “boring” now a days, well according to him anyways. So I was quite chuffed to see his excitement when he learnt about Prima Toy’s newest sensation: #Stikbot!Stikbot is the world’s first social media sharing toy. By using the Stikbot figurines, you are able to bring your imagination to life, by creating stop motion videos. And this, dear readers, is what my kid is so pumped up about. He loves creating mini movies with his cellphone and fancies himself quite the film maker!
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strawberry jam so easy my teen made it!
If you frequent these here parts, you’ll know that my boy is an aspiring chef. The kid wants to cook. Who am I to stand in his way? A few weeks ago he attempted to make jam as part of a class assignment (what are they teaching kids at school now a days? I likey, I likey alot) He insisted on making the jam himself, but I had to, of corse, step in. We all know that mom knows it all.
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A time to pamper with Rain Africa {Win a voucher for you and a friend!}
Hands up if you need an “end of the year” pamper. Thought so. So that’s everyone then?… You, me and our cats. Well, dear reader, I am here to give you an early Christmas present. Introducing: Rain Africa! The luxury bath and body product has me swooning on their natural ingredients and super relaxing spa treatments. Need a break away from the stresses of life? Scroll down for some pamper vouchers for you and a friend! -
Ever had to deal with that baby mama drama?
So Kyle’s on holiday with his dad and while I miss him a lot (and the tea he makes), I’m always so happy when he gets to spend time with his dad, stepmum and the rest of his ‘other’ family. I’ve never really been an advocate for “baby mama drama”.
Not that I was immune to it. I’ll admit, Kyle’s dad and I have had our fair share of being mean to each other. There were many nights, preceding our break up, that thoughts of spitefulness crossed my mind. I mean, if I’m not happy, why should he be? Why should I allow him full access to MY child? I am the mother, after all, so I have more say in his life than the dad does, right?
And come on, ladies, let’s be real, when another woman enters the picture, you might as well put on your Shaneequa weave and hoop earrings because “oh helllllls no! No other woman’s going to be mother to MY child!”
Suddenly, the “best interest” of your child becomes the motive behind every crazy demand and every bitter argument… and in your mind, it all makes sense. But in actual fact, it doesn’t make sense. Well, not if you really have the best interest of your kid in mind.
I’ve learnt that my son’s father’s wife is important… just as important as I am, actually. Who cares that I “was here first”. Come on ladies! Yes, I’m the kid’s mother, but hey guess what, I don’t need a pedestal. I just need you to love my child and work with me to make sure he is happy and healthy. I am blessed to say that my boy’s stepmama is very sweet and always regards me with respect, which I did not even ask for, but really appreciate. She loves my boy and has been able to chat to him about stuff that he would never open up to me about. And if you consider the fact that he spends alot of time with them, it makes me feel good knowing that there’s another me (so to say) over there, keeping an eye on him and making sure he brushes his teeth.
I’ve learnt that putting my kid first means that I an willing to work harmoniously with his dad, in order to make sure that the most important stuff is taken care of. WE are his parents. I’m not a majority share holder. One of the most devastating facts of our country is that so many children are growing up without proper father figures. The fatherless youth of today struggle with identity. They don’t know where they come from and they are not sure where they are going to. I cannot begin to explain how valuable the input of a loving father is… how much it adds to the growth and stability of a child! So if my kid’s dad WANTS to be in his life, who am I to deny that?
I’ve learnt that my boy’s father actually really does love him and if he can’t pay for something or buy something, that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care. It just means that he isn’t able to give the cash. Money does not equate to love, yo. We agree on who pays for what, and guess what… in the rare occasion where one of us is unable to do what we are meant to do, the other one steps in, if they can. I guess, this only works in a situation where both parties are not out to get the better “deal”.
I’ve learnt that bad mouthing my kid’s dad does not make me the better parent. It makes me the bitter parent. And it breaks down my son’s hero, which will make ME a zero in his eyes. (You know your child will not stay a child forever, right? Kids remember toxic behavior.)
It helps that his father and I are able to openly tell each other when we are not happy with something. (In a respectable way). I guess the secret is to keep your eyes on the prize: What would be better for our child? NOT “What would make me the superior one?”
I’ve learnt that my Hubstopher is the best father to my son, while his own dad is in another city. But Hubstopher is NOT my son’s biological father. My boy’s father and I make decisions about his life. Hubstopher and I make decisions about what happens in our house. And somehow, we have to work on merging the 2, in a way that is respectful to all parties involved and in the best interest of the CHILD and not anyone’s pride. I couldn’t have married a better man!
And lastly, I’ve learnt that, at the end of the day, God gave us a precious gift and it is our responsibility to make sure that Kyle grows up to be the best Kyle he could ever be! His dad and I have lived our lives and made our own decisions, and the child played no part in it. Why should he suffer? I’m sure this blog post has made us sound like superhumans, so please, allow me to clarify: It has NOT been an easy road! But it’s all worth it in the end. Kyle deserves to have his best chance, and that is exactly what we are going to give him.
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Fried chicken and egg fried rice so easy my teen made it!
In a strange turn of events my game-head teenage son has decided that he wants to be a chef. Mama’s not complaining. I am ecstatic that the kid’s found something to throw his passion and ambition into. The other night he offered to make his “specialty”, fried chicken and egg fried, for supper. (Keeping in mind he’s never ever made this “specialty” before, so I’m not sure how it became his “specialty”).
