Push and pull #SOL

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Two Writing Teachers

I've had some interesting conversations with fellow parents of teenagers, especially those in their senior year of high school.  We've decided that we may be the WORST parents in the WORLD, but then again, maybe it's just the stress as we consider that our children are graduating.  In a few months.  Oh. No....

We've talked about the stress the kids are under:
sports,
academic,
social,
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE,
peer pressure,
HURRY & CHOOSE WHAT YOU WILL DO FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
social media,
fashion,
DID YOU CHOOSE YET?

Wow.

I don't envy any of these kids.

Some of the kids are "push" kids... these kids just need a little push to get their motors started and rolling down the right path.  Other kids (like some of this year's seniors) are "pull" kids.  The kids who we have pullllllled through homework and social skills and making good choices and helping them develop their lacking executive functioning skills.

Ugh.  I'm tired.

It's time, fellow parents of HS seniors.  Let us release the ropes of parenting (or in my case, cut the enabling cord) and let our kids FALL.  We've done it before.  Remember when they were learning to toddle around the house?  We let them!  We were there to pick them up, kiss the scrapes and help them move on.  We can do it again.  Really.

Well, we can at least try.

We can be there for each other when the stress gets to be too much.  We may even laugh about this school year one day, MANY years from now.

It's time to let them figure it out and find out what they are made of.

They can do it.  So can we.

Trust SOLC #3

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Two Writing Teachers

Trust.

I'm not feeling a lot of it today.

Two teen daughters.  One with decent grades and a tendency to procrastinate (inherited from me!).
One with falling grades and roller coaster attitude.

I want to trust that they will do their homework, study for tests and keep a positive attitude without me having to ask, sitting on top of them, or micromanaging.

I have two choices - trust or become one of those parents.
 I've read all about them.

Helicopter parents.
Hovering.  Fixing.  Solving.

I have to teach my daughters to find the way that works best for them to take care of their home and school responsibilities in a timely and responsible manner.  My husband reminds me they need to learn from their mistakes.  We learned.  We turned out to be pretty responsible people.

Do I worry more about how I am perceived as a parent if my children struggle?  Is it a big reflection on me - especially because I'm a teacher?

There's a fine line between enabling and empowering.

I'm walking on a parenting tightrope that's made entirely of

trust.