Growing Pains

Growing up is painful, especially for those who must take care of you. It’s true – I kid you not, and it’s not as punny as you think. Children are better when they’re small, have fewer opinions, and don’t demand to make their own decisions. You might think it’s cute when a young child suddenly develops the brain processing power to have preferences, observe and decide. It might also be adorable when they start to demand certain things which they prefer, like foods, toys, and consumer electronics. But trust me, it goes downhill.

Cycling out for dinner is still a thing

Of course, this is part of life and there is no way to halt the process of your children “maturing” as they grow. I think our parents had similar questions during our time as kids like “What is going on? Can we stop this horrid thing from happening?”

These are some of the things I think run through the minds of a typical teenager, or at least those that live with us.

• We don’t want to sleep – There’s something about night-time that makes them not want to sleep. Almost like a new-born baby, getting a teenager to sleep requires coaxing, reminding, and punishments. A spell takes over them at night and causes them to tremble uncontrollably, and stay awake doing everything possible to not lie down. And then in the morning, they refuse to wake up.
• We want to buy everything - Once they realise the power of (not their own) money, they think that virtually everything is within the grasp – all it takes is whining, deal-making, and speaking to grand-parents. And you know that the consumeristic virus has hit them because even after they have received a gift, they want something else. Or they are just buying stuff on a whim and then leaving it lying around after bringing it home.
• We want to use our phones all-day - Once they have their phones, nothing else interests them and they cannot fathom having any other hobby. They put down their phone after being scolded, only to pick it up again 15 seconds later when they suddenly thought of something “important” they need to do (e.g. send an important message) which leads to the use of the phone for the next 10 minutes before being scolded again – and the cycle goes.

What’s really going on? Our children are suddenly thrust into the world of adulthood – but only equipped with an under-developed immature mind that lacks the ability to modulate, control, and think of consequences. But when we try to interject some intelligence and advice, it isn’t always accepted. Such is the balancing act of parenting at this stage in their lives.