The Ongoing Saga of Raising a Teenager.

I can remember when my son was about 4 or 5 and the dreaded question came out of his mouth: "Mommy, where do babies come from?" My stomach dropped at least 10 feet and I thought I might throw up. I recovered pretty quickly though and I replied "God sent you to me." He nodded his head and went back to playing with his Leggos and I immediately felt like I was the BEST parent in the world. I thought to myself, "this isn't so bad." I spoke too soon. He looked at me with those big blue eyes and innocently said "But I heard on TV that the daddy and mommy make the baby" I panicked for a minute and then said "Mommys and Daddys who love each other have babies, but God creates them" This was not flying, and I could clearly see that. I tried a different approach... "Mommy and Daddy loved each other so much that God gave us a baby, and I carried you in my tummy and when you were big enough, you were born. "Danger... Danger... I had gone too far. His eyes got very big and he said "I was in your tummy?" I nodded and he said "YOU ATE ME???"

When I look back on this conversation, I don't really remember how scary it was, I only feel amused. Remembering now, it's all very innocent and cute, and NOTHING compared to the conversations that I'm required to have with him now. Just last night at dinner we were chatting and I casually brought up smoking. He assures me he's never tried it, and that it smells disgusting and he won't ever do it, but I know better. He will more than likely try smoking, and drinking, and drugs. It's terrifying. He will also probably have sex long before he's emotionally ready for it, and years and years before he finds the woman that he will spend the rest of his life with. He will get pressured to try things that he's afraid of, and I can only hope that he makes the right choices and that I've raised him to know that his opinion of himself is much more important than what anyone else might think if he doesn't follow the crowd.

I have been very honest with him about the mistakes that I made when I was younger. He knows the struggles that I had by having him so young. I love him and I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world, but if I could have hit a pause button and just waited a few years, things would have been better for both of us. I can only hope that by being open and honest with him about my experiences, he will make better choices for himself.

Raising a teenager is a lot like white water rafting. It's fun and scary all at the same time, and you just hold on for dear life and hope everyone makes it to the end.