I have been nudging my teenage girl to venture out on her own as in getting out into the world of adults and interacting whether it be voluntary work with the SPCA or getting a part time job during the academic breaks. Relevant experience ? Well that's a side benefit but more importantly is the experience of responsibility, interaction and of the unknown that is non-academic and non-familial. Sometimes I think it's easy to fall into lethargy, Finally she's started to get into it and getting at it.
Not quite an introvert yet not an extrovert either, I feel she needs to push her boundaries and get out of her very comfortable zones She needs to less fearful of trying, sometimes I think she needs to live a little more than she is compared with other teenagers.
Is it a consequence of her nature or a consequence of the family situation that has unfolded, I honestly cannot say, but I do want the best for her and she needs to take those steps for herself.
If there is the opportunity for her to go further away to study, she'll need that experience and some courage for independence.
I suppose I'm trying to ensure she will not have some of the regrets I have over how I lived or was allowed to live my younger years.
There's just something so precious about a mother's heart. I adore reading about the pure good you want for your daughter; and the inspiration God's given you to nudge her in a specific direction. I know that the investment you're making into her life will pay off in both her life and your own.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy, thank you for your support, encouragement means much to me.
DeleteIt's so hard, isn't it, to find that balance between a helpful nudge and unhelpful pressure. Sounds like you have hit just the right spot. My daughter came to me today with an idea that involves a change of direction from the one I had urged her into. I had to stop and really listen to what was exciting her. I remembered me at her age, and encouraged her to go for it. We'll see if that was good advice!
ReplyDeleteHi Galen, the understanding I hear helps me.
DeleteSometimes I wish there was an all-you -need-to-know guidebook for parenting - when to listen and when to direct and the myriads of directions that life can take.
I was thinking about you today and just had to come back and let you knnow. Please keep sharing about mothering a teenager! I find so little about that and it is a huge struggle for me right now.
ReplyDeleteHi Paula, know what you mean, the parenting is different from how I knew it, only because the child of today is so different and need so much more than I did years ago.
DeleteKeep striving for the positive.