Teenagers! the sky is a pretty Blue- it isn't blue at all it is more periwinkle, duh!

When my kids were younger I would explain there winter behavior as cabin fever. Isabelle, my eight year old may have a little cabin fever right now, mixed with some modeling of deplorable teenage behavior. It is killing me. I never looked at the others as if they had three heads when January rolled around. I would pack them up and get them outdoors. If  it was wet out we would build things out of any thing available, VCR tapes for instance. We would read more. It is very different now. That irritability due to being stuck inside is growing old. It is effecting all those good qualities nestled inside my kids.

It keeps rearing its ugly head. I put a moratorium on fun this past Sunday because this is exam week. One thing I learned from sending one off to college was that a little more forced studying may help the others future study habits in college. It was a tough call and tough to enforce. The Derrick children are used to certain freedom on the weekends. At one point I was told it would do me no good forcing studying because they wouldn't do it anyway. Here it is; the sky is blue, No, it is really periwinkle,duh!

We know this stuff as parents because we were once teenagers. All be it, it was the stone ages when we had these experiences. I do remember my parents driving me crazy to study or get my work done on time, I would slip under their radar too! I have tried letting mine own it; gave them tips to study, made sure they did home work right after school until 7th grade, had enough time for play as well as studying. Then when the hormones begin to flow, what happens to the brain? I no longer have the answers. Yet, I can't stand to see them fail.

My older daughter is so self driven that she told me that one pancake was all she had prioritized time to eat this morning.  She is valuing things for the importance; have I really given a 14 year old all the tools she needs to make these decisions? Classes are being chosen by middle schoolers and high schoolers around the city. As a parent I have opinions about teachers and schools and classes  I know what is right and wrong for my kids. I don't want any one of mine biting off more then they can chew next January. As my older kids  approach freshman year and junior year next year I have got to have a say but my free will parenting style has under valued my opinion.

In the end my children will own their situation. They will work to improve grades that if taken my advice would have been better. They will choose their path with what judgement I have imparted. They will learn from their mistakes. It will shape who they are and how they face the world. As much as i want to derail them from a crash it is not in my control. So, I love them and still argue with them about the right way and all the while I pray that they retain just a smidge. As for Isabelle, maybe mixing up the cabin fever and  the teenage behavior will make for a more gentle puberty!!!