Most difficult season? Parenting Teens!
- Aug 5, 2024
- 1 min read
We've experienced many difficulties from Kristen's battle with depression, our daughter's hand amputation, the death of our fathers, and job loss to name a few, but none of those were as taxing on our marriage as the season of parenting teens!
Our dynamic was one of good cop/bad cop. Kristen was the parent who was quick to say "YES" and Chad's first response was a hard "NO" to our kids' requests.
And that created a lot of tension in our marriage.
Hindsight is 20/20 and looking back we both agree that providing a united front is crucial if you want to make it through those challenging, but also uniquely enjoyable, years.
In our recent podcast episode we talked about what that looks like on a practical level:
* Kids texting both parents in a group chat so neither is caught off guard
* Spouses disagreeing behind closed doors so a compromise can be made before a final decision
*Including kids in a conversation regarding expectations & consequences for the sake of clarity and unity
We can assure you we did not parent perfectly in this season but everyone did make it out alive and you can too! Tune in to An Intentional Marriage Podcast if you'd like to feel normal and not alone... You got this! :)
Reading the article about the hardest season of parenting teens really shows how stressful that stage can be for families, especially when emotions and independence clash every day. I remember seeing my aunt struggle with her teenage son and how small arguments would turn into big misunderstandings at home. While reading, I came across do my online exam, which reminded me how people sometimes look for quick help during pressure-filled moments. Overall, it highlights how patience and communication become even more important during tough parenting phases.