{Managing a Teenager // Let's Look Link-up}

Today I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for this month’s Let’s Look series...and we’re chatting all about Managing Teen Life.

If I’m being completely honest... Mason has been a fairly easy teen to raise. And I don’t say that lightly... I know that’s a total God thing. He’s sweet, tender-hearted, thoughtful, and pretty easygoing most of the time. Of course, he’s still a teenager...there are moments of eye rolls or attitude...but they’re usually short-lived. More often than not, he’ll circle back around and apologize without us even asking. His heart is so good.

One of the things I’m most grateful for in this season is that we’ve never had to worry when it comes to Mason and his phone. We keep a very open line of communication with him, and he knows he can come to us with anything, no judgment, just love. If we asked him to hand over his phone, he’d do it in a heartbeat without hesitation. He’s respectful and responsible with it, and that’s not something I take for granted. He’s met some really great friends through hockey,  genuinely good kids, and I love that for him. His best friend has even come along on a couple of family trips recently, and it’s been such a joy watching them grow up side by side.

Now, the biggest challenge for us right now? TIME. Or rather… Mason’s lack of awareness of it. 
He’ll casually say something like,

“Hey Mom and Dad, can I go to open hockey?”
Us: “Sure! When is it?”
“It starts in 20 minutes.”
Meanwhile… we live 35 minutes away. 

It’s just one of those teenage quirks...he has absolutely no concept of how long things take, and he moves at a sloth’s pace when it comes to everything except hockey. If he has to be up early for the rink? He’s out of bed in a flash, fully motivated. Anything else? We basically have to start prompting him 30 minutes ahead of time, lol. We’ve learned to build a little cushion into our schedule and just roll with it.

And let’s not even talk about the mess...whew!

If you have a teenage boy, you probably know what I’m about to say. They are a whole different level of messy. Recently, Mason told me he couldn’t find his AirPods and figured they must’ve fallen from his loft bed. So I went on a little mission to help him track them down. I started looking under the bed (he has a loft bed) and moved a framed hockey poster that was leaning against the wall… and y’all, about 15 soda cans came tumbling down like an avalanche! Just chillin’ back there like it was their full-time job. 

BOYS.

But all that said... truly, I have no complaints.

Raising Mason through every stage has been one of my life’s greatest blessings. Watching him grow, mature, and step into who God created him to be is something I will never take for granted. He’s everything I prayed for and more, and I know without a doubt that God handpicked me to be his mama. What a gift.

Teen life can definitely come with its quirks, challenges, and funny stories, but at the end of the day, it’s a season I’m loving. And I’m just soaking up every minute of it.

What about you? How are you managing teen life in your home these days?