Life with Teens
I have two teens in my house right now. Teens are all that you've heard and more. The drama is more. The funny is more. The heartache is more. The joie de vivre is more.
There are some things about mothering teens that terrify me and keep me up at night. But, when it comes to books, having teens is so much fun. They teach me about myself and my own hang ups and we have real conversations about something that's not a major situation. It's one of the fun parts of being a mom.
We live in an age of Harry Potter. And I love Harry Potter. I read them each when they were first released and have two complete sets. I've started collecting the illustrated versions. Everyone has read them and it's very trendy for your elementary school kid to be toting around a book or two.
One of my teens did not want to read them. I kept offering them and asking. She kept refusing. I finally stopped asking. She's seen every movie but says the books just aren't for her.
It took me a minute, but I came to terms with that and have respected her ability to determine what she likes and doesn't like. She is teaching me about not finishing books I don't like and being happy with a book that's a guilty pleasure.
This past summer both of my girls went through a kind of reading slump. At first, I was like, "Oh my gosh, they will never survive college, they will never read again, something terrible has happened!"
Then, I realized that I do the same thing when I went through a stressful August. It's ok because it's temporary. Sometimes you need to rely on netflix or give your brain a break or do a different hobby for a bit. They are back to reading this fall and we chat about the books we read and give each other recommendations.
My second had to read a book for her book club at school and was upset because it dealt with sickness and death. We had a lovely moment when my first and I were explaining that it can be hard to read books like that but it can also help you and make you stronger and more empathetic.
Sometimes the world seems to be ending with boys and homework and after school activities. I don't always agree with fashion choices or word choices. But, when we need to connect to each other and have a non-hostile conversation, we always come back to books.
Who do you connect with over book talk?
There are some things about mothering teens that terrify me and keep me up at night. But, when it comes to books, having teens is so much fun. They teach me about myself and my own hang ups and we have real conversations about something that's not a major situation. It's one of the fun parts of being a mom.
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| reading a book one of my teens recommended this summer |
We live in an age of Harry Potter. And I love Harry Potter. I read them each when they were first released and have two complete sets. I've started collecting the illustrated versions. Everyone has read them and it's very trendy for your elementary school kid to be toting around a book or two.
One of my teens did not want to read them. I kept offering them and asking. She kept refusing. I finally stopped asking. She's seen every movie but says the books just aren't for her.
It took me a minute, but I came to terms with that and have respected her ability to determine what she likes and doesn't like. She is teaching me about not finishing books I don't like and being happy with a book that's a guilty pleasure.
 |
| alan bradley books are my favorite fun books |
This past summer both of my girls went through a kind of reading slump. At first, I was like, "Oh my gosh, they will never survive college, they will never read again, something terrible has happened!"
Then, I realized that I do the same thing when I went through a stressful August. It's ok because it's temporary. Sometimes you need to rely on netflix or give your brain a break or do a different hobby for a bit. They are back to reading this fall and we chat about the books we read and give each other recommendations.
My second had to read a book for her book club at school and was upset because it dealt with sickness and death. We had a lovely moment when my first and I were explaining that it can be hard to read books like that but it can also help you and make you stronger and more empathetic.
Sometimes the world seems to be ending with boys and homework and after school activities. I don't always agree with fashion choices or word choices. But, when we need to connect to each other and have a non-hostile conversation, we always come back to books.
Who do you connect with over book talk?
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