I gotta be honest. Parenting is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I have done some hard things, but this raising humans to be kind and thoughtful people is SO SUPER HARD. The adolescent years, for me, are proving to be much more taxing emotionally than mothering in the toddler years. Moms of littles, I am not saying you need to be afraid, but Jesus, fix it.

I am new at this parenting teenagers stuff. I have always been around teens in different scenarios, whether walking along with them in ministry or in medicine. I like teens, mostly. Here’s a little secret: I never have liked middle school boys. Like, ever. When I was a middle schooler, I thought they were stinky aliens. Now that I am grown woman, my very mature and professional opinion is that they are stinky aliens. Bless their hearts.

Fix it, Jesus.

I thought this opinion might change when my very own darling cherubs became teens. Friends, I am here to tell you: so far it has not. Middle school boys are still the same darling, obnoxious, somewhat smelly, alien creatures that they were 25 years ago. I realize I’m making very broad generalizations here. They are still our sweet little boys who want to exert their independence in equal proportion to how much they need to be sheltered by our fierce love (even when they refuse to admit it). Impulsive adventurers driven by hormones who desire to test all the limits. Boundaries were meant to be slammed into if not stepped over entirely. I mean, what could go wrong? I absolutely adore my oldest son and would step in front of a bus for the guy, but I am also a truthteller. Adolescents are weird AND wonderful.

All that aside, for serious, we would love your prayers as we navigate these foreign waters of raising adolescents. I learned so much of my parenting from my parents. While they would be the first to admit they were far from perfect, they indeed did a damn good job making sure we had a firm foundation. (Even if I turned out as crazy as I am!) I knew I was loved and supported. That’s our #1 goal and prayer for our kids.

We are so grateful for all of you who have gone before us in this parenting path. Those of you who have been willing to share your successes and struggles in parenting, have spoken life into our dry parenting bones. Thank you. Prayers, a word of encouragement, a fist bump, a “you got this, mama!”, a “me too!”: these go a long way for any parent in the trenches of parenting!

We are all in this together. This crap is hard. Not because we are doing it wrong, but because it is just hard. I am praying for you and cheering you on as parents! Let’s link arms as The Village and support these kiddos and each other as they trudge through the somewhat murky waters of adolescence. You and I are doing the best we can to teach and steer our kids towards love and compassion. May we extend grace and mercy to one another when they or we screw it up.

Because as it turns out, we are all pretty weird AND wonderful.