If you could write a letter to your 16 year old self, what would that look like? What advice would you give?
I came across this idea the other day while chatting with my preteen child. I wished desperately that I could just throw all my trials, tribulations and heartache I have already been through so she could maybe bypass these struggles herself.
I know one thing, you could not pay me to relive those teen years! Crying in your bedroom listening to Reba Macentire with my purple caboodles and lipsmacker lipgloss. The grape lipsmackers was my jam!
I grew up often times feeling awkward, shy, embarrassed, self conscious, too fat, too thin, inadequate YOU name it. Now that I’m in my late thirties I want to go back to me at that age and just shake me! Wake up and look at the big picture! The world of possibilities, the love and kindness that is out there. The sad thing is, when you are in that spot, that age, you can’t see beyond the mean girls, the pimple or whatever is tearing at your vulnerable heart strings. I’m thankful for the years of experience I have had with these feelings, because now I’m pretty much a badass who could give a *__* what any haters have to say! Yeah, I’m a good mom, but I do curse a little! Okay, fine, almost hourly. I do try to keep it all under my breath though.
What really frightens me to the core, is all the other outlets there are to cause heartache to my baby. Whoa, I mean can you imagine that nasty girl you grew up with AND she had the added power to blast hate towards you for the whole world to see. Not to mention all the shenanigans our group got into! I’m so thankful that those moments were only screanshotted in our minds!
All we can do as parents is our best to protect, nurture, love but at the same time prepare these young humans for what is out there. I refuse to raise anything but outstanding individuals who put God, love, family and kindness above all else. There is a reason why they call this the hardest job in the world. All of that is easier said than done!
My daughter is identical to how I was at her age. I can very much relate to what she is going through but I’ll be damned if she’s going to struggle as much as I did. I do my best to tease her, love her and make her laugh as much as possible.
Raising daughters and raising wine glasses!
I’m going with a new-years resolution to put every ounce of my being, my love and righteous knowledge) into all my littles. We do that anyway right! That’s the gift that keeps on giving back.
At least I know I can truly stick to that resolution. I think we all know that I will not be eating all Paleo meals and working out 5 days a week!
Happy new year to all our sleepless moms!
Lynnaya — Mom of Elly Mae, Ava, & Eli
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