This parenting gig isn’t easy is it? Nobody warned me that you’d be riding their highs and lows like they are your own. Nobody mentioned that you start a new personal journey when they start to grow up. I am living in the moment and I’m living in their emotions.

When they do something good, I’m feeling it. When they aren’t you’re disappointed. The wave of emotions have been getting stronger in our house as my boys grow up. When they were little I never felt these added emotions. I now feel like I am forever speaking, and giving advice and fixing and frowning and then cheering. Being a parent is the hardest job in the world and no one could tell you that until you’re in it and living it. And when they’re not doing what you want them to do and you’ve said everything you need to say, it won’t matter any way, because they will only ever remember how I acted, how I deal with things and how they felt. They won’t hear you, they’ll just know the actions… and how hard is it to know whether you’ve taught the right thing or not?

I’m feeling proud of my kids and am feeling so many new emotions. I was talking with my friends about this recently and I wasn’t alone. We all have kids turning 12 and 13 and they’re feeling these emotions! It’s a wild ride, but I’d never swap it. I’m learning as I go…

What’s your best pre-teen parenting advice?