I am sure for most women our first born child is an amazing wonder.  For me it surely was and is in alot of ways.  Yet it doesn't impede upon the love and wonder I feel for my other children.  I was always a little afraid it would each time I became pregnant.  But here again God knows me best.  At the same time I experience alot of new worries and fears too.  I truly try not to fear knowing this isn't what God wants from me but it is hard sometimes.  I home schooled my oldest from K-5th grade.  I really enjoyed it and I think he did too.  Sometimes because alot of his friends went to school I think he would want to go but over all I think he was happy with how it was.  My husband was never a big support of home schooling and even now struggles with it some.  So he always told me that when we moved over seas our children would go to the private schools that were provided.  So when we moved here all three of the oldest went to school.  Academically my oldest didn't struggle.  Socially he did really well too.  Academically I wasn't all that impressed.  I am still not.  Socially I was a little worried about peer pressure and things like that but I put all my trust in God.  I still do.  I have to.  Last wasn't too bad but we did start dealing with some of the moodiness that teens go through and we became stupid.  I say that in reference to the saying that when kids are little their parents are the smartest coolest thing, then as they get older we get less cool and aren't so smart.  Then as the kids become grown ups and for some it doesn't happen until they become parents themselves they relize their parents actually knew something after all.  Anyhow, from the time that my oldest started his mood swings until now it has all gotten worse.  Actually, I think the peer pressure is what has really gotten worse.  I really struggle, too.  It is hard to let them be their own person, accountable for themselves, and see and hear the things that I see and hear.  Truthfully I pray and really have to give it to God b/c otherwise I would lock him in his room until he was grown.  LOL!!!!

I will have to write more about it later b/c no one is getting in the bed and it is getting late.   

Posted by Bahamahomeschooler

That was a beautiful post on C. I appreciate you honesty. Have a great day

Posted by

Life would be much easier if you could put your child in a barrel when he turned 13 and take him out at 21. I'm not looking forward to those years. Thank you for your honesty. I think it's a time of struggle for children and parents. But, Thank God, this too shall pass. As Mark Twain said, "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

You didn't ask for advice but as a former secondary school teacher I can give you some thoughts. First, try not to take what he says/does personally because hormones etc are having a large sway on behavior. At the same time require respect from him and extend respect to him. It's hard, but it gives you some common ground to work from. Add privileges and responsibilities so that both increase with age. And, of course, privileges can be suspended for discipline purposes. Most importantly, don't be fearful if he's questioning his faith. Be open to questions and look up in the Bible any answers and go over them together. It is a process in which the faith of your father/mother becomes your own faith. Good Luck and God Bless.

Janna

Edited by jannaod on Sep. 28, 2006 at 5:45 AM