{"id":15633,"date":"2018-03-16T10:43:44","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T08:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responsive.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents\/?p=15633"},"modified":"2024-08-20T11:47:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T09:47:27","slug":"becoming-mom-to-a-teenager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/parenting\/becoming-mom-to-a-teenager\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming mom to a teenager"},"content":{"rendered":"

And so it has arrived\u2026 the year my son becomes a teenager.\u00a0 Looking back to the time he was born, I remember how so many parents were willing to give me all kinds of advice about having a baby.\u00a0 (Some not so welcomed but taken nonetheless)\u00a0 But as they get older and reach different phases of their lives (and mine), it seems the advice runs drier.\u00a0 Grandparents often tell stories about when we were their age but times are so different that it\u2019s as though we\u2019re dealing with a new species of human.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 traits I have observed that future parents of teenagers can look out for.<\/p>\n

1. They sweat. A lot. Perspire is a soft word in these circumstances. Luckily they also become very aware of self suddenly so that we have an array of deodorants and \u201canti-sweats\u201d to spray around the house and car as well.<\/p>\n

2. Included in this sudden awareness is the need to shower a few times a day. Thankfully we aren\u2019t in Cape Town so it\u2019s OK but I do have to keep knocking to remind him of his time limit.\u00a0 Every day! (short term memory it seems).<\/p>\n

3. We can no longer get away with kiddies meals when we eat out. In fact we\u2019ve cut down on eating out so that we can still save for our retirement.\u00a0 It\u2019s no longer a kilo of chicken per meal at home either.\u00a0 This child is always hungry and eats like a full grown bear.<\/p>\n

4. I recall buying him a size 7 soccer boot at the beginning of last year. We are now onto a size 9 and those 7\u2019s are pretty brand new still.\u00a0 I\u2019m hoping his feet don\u2019t grow much more otherwise we\u2019d be able to sail around the world in them\u2026 as a family.<\/p>\n

5. He gets quite emotional about insignificant things. Like unpacking the dishwasher.\u00a0 \u201cWhy do I always have to do it?\u201d – With actual tears in his eyes.\u00a0 Or the fact that there\u2019s no ice-cream in the house.\u00a0 \u201cWhy is it that when I want something it\u2019s always finished?\u00a0 Who eats all the ice-cream all the time!?\u201d \u2013 With actual tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n

6. He’s got a voice.\u00a0 Like a sometimes high pitched, sometimes ‘husky’ voice.\u00a0 “Mama, please test me on my science work”\u00a0 Sounded like Don Corleone asking for my help.<\/p>\n

7. He forgets and loses stuff all the time. His lunch box, his school jacket, his socks.\u00a0 How do you lose socks!?\u00a0 And I can\u2019t threaten to not give him lunch anymore; he may just eat a classmate.<\/p>\n

8. He usually hates shopping but if it\u2019s for something for him, he\u2019ll have us all reaching our step targets for the month\u2026 in a day. Brand names are also a thing now and although we try not to indulge him too much, I find that factory store sales are awesome.\u00a0 Not normal factory store prices, don\u2019t make that mistake.\u00a0 Only sales especially since that t-shirt will be too small in 3 weeks\u2019 time.<\/p>\n

9. Luckily we have a brother to pass things on to so that helps. What doesn\u2019t help is the constant bickering, arguing, slapping, fighting and \u2018dissing\u2019 each other.\u00a0 I mean who really cares if dabbing is lame in 2018, an argument about it is so pointless! In fact I remember when my second son was born, a year and 9 months after the first, and other mums would reassure me that they\u2019d be best friends when they\u2019re older. When guys, when<\/em>?<\/p>\n

10. He has a phone now on weekends and when he has it, you will not get a word in with him. The house could be on fire and he wouldn\u2019t even flinch.\u00a0 Unless his xBox was burning, then I think he\u2019d risk his life to save it.<\/p>\n

There are so many other teenage traits that I know are normal and that have me cringing when I think about them.\u00a0 I mean, he\u2019s my baby boy and always will be.\u00a0 He\u2019s grown into a confident young man with a lovely sense of humour.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad now that I had him young, I think I\u2019m still cool enough to be hugged before school and that we can chat about cars, Masterchef and soccer.\u00a0\u00a0 Wish me luck though for when those interests change and for those awkward moments as I have no idea how I\u2019m going to deal with them!<\/p>\n

This article was originally written for Jozikids by Fatima Kazee in 2018.<\/em><\/p>\n

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