RED ROVERAs Kathleen and I were walking/solving all the world's problems the other day, we struck upon the perfect visual for raising teenagers. Between the two of us, there are three, almost four, and she has one who has "graduated" from her teens, so she knows what she's talking about. I just pretend that I do.
Teenagers are always looking for the weakest link, the boundary that's not well-defined, and that's the one they are going to keep "attacking."
Because they can.
It's like that old school yard game, Red Rover. No kid tries to barge through a place in the lineup that's rock solid. No, they go back, over and over again to where there's little resistance to their push.
And they push.
The part we didn't quite nail down, but we will, don't you worry, is where in the "line" to drop hands and leave big wide spaces for free will and budding independence to walk right through.
11 comments:
So true, and another reason kidlets need strong parents vs. adult buddies.
Don't worry about dropping your hands to allow room for growth & independence...they'll find a way to sneak through between all the legs. :)
finding the elusive balance - toddlers to teens, hell, in our own lives - always the hardest part
Make sure they don't know there are big wide open spaces, or they won't enjoy the "break-through"
La la la I'm not even thinking about this. I'm trying to get through the terrible 8's!
Great metaphor! So glad it's not me.
Oh man. Can't I just skip this part? I mean, just to day I was deling with G and thinking, 'BOY! This is going to be FUN when she's thirteen! Whoop!'
*sigh* lol
:)
Brilliant, Carrie--just brilliant.
lalalalalala, I'm not listening. You can't make me. I won't have teenage daughters, I won't, I won't, I won't.
Red Rover --great one. Gee, I forgot that game, but now I remember how much it hurts to have someone come busting through your linked arms! I sympathize, but have to say,like Deb, better you than me....
Trouble is, the tighter we stand, arms locked and legs together, they find a way around! Living with 2 teenage boys and a wanna-be teenage daughter. Not sure if I will survive!
Hmmm. Just had a chat with my student teacher about this and how it looks in the classroom!
Post a Comment