Raising Kids Isn’t For Sissies.

I have four. I wanted four.

What was I thinking???

I truly love my babies but nobody ever tells you that raising children is the hardest job on the planet. At least, nobody ever told me.

When they were little it was a cake walk. Sure, they had to be disciplined once in a blue moon but never anything to extreme.

Now I’m dealing with an adult child, one teen, one pre-teen and a little.

Raising kids isn’t for the weak either.

All kids have their growing pains, this is something I’m aware of. People will tell you all kinds of stuff: “Girls are easier, boys are easier, oh wait until you have a teen age daughter (insert eye roll)”

I’ll let you in on a little secret…..

It’s all bullshit!

Every kid is different!

Every kid has their own set of issues!

Every kid needs parented differently!

Every kid has their own love language and it’s YOUR responsibility to find out what it is!

And I know all this. Which leads me to my current situation.

One of my children is currently going off the rails. Drinking, vaping, viewing inappropriate things in the internet, lying, being super angry and “borrowing” others things without permission.

It’s a lot to take in.

It’s a lot to deal with.

I’m terrified for my child.

So what to do?

Well, we took electronics away. No more internet means no access to friends online. Grounding until school starts. We were going to take away the fall sport but figured they needed the discipline that comes with being on a sports team ( plus it means we know what they’re up to after school) And we went through the bedroom to find all inappropriate items.

I also went through their phone. Deleted all social media apps, all pictures that were inappropriate and downloaded a pretty sever parental control app.

Next step, counseling. For both of us.

It’s the best I can do. And all I can do is pray I’ve done my best.

I have to help my child. We have to help our children!

We are in an age where they have access to more than ever before. There are demons out there we don’t know about. It’s no longer about the stranger who might approach them at the mall or park. Now it’s about the other kid online that’s not really a kid! It’s about the people who run porn sites that have pop ups on your kids gaming websites!

I admit that my first two were easy. It’s my last two who are giving me the grey hair, the wrinkles and the anxiety. It’s not a boy or girl thing. It’s a society thing. And I need to remember that I need to control which society my children frequent!