The undeniable presence of my second teen...

The second teenager in the house.  Well, my youngest son is now 13 but as younger siblings go, there is a tendency to accelerate their emotional development faster than the older sibling as they are always wanting to catch-up.  Well, he caught up alright and slid so fast to teen hood I was "almost" caught off-guard.  

One night he begged for me to cuddle with him to bed, read stories like we did since he was a baby and the next day when I entered the room, I was accused of trespassing!

What happened to him?  Really.. in just one day you turn from mama’s baby boy to I’m a young man?!  Why didn’t you give me some warning signs like you older brother did?  Perhaps it was my naiveté  when I saw you shaving your face one morning (when a microscope can’t even detect a peach fuzz) and thought you were just experimenting?  Or was it the sudden stops at every mirror you come across and stop to fix your hair?  Or was it the plea for me to no longer buy you clothes because my taste according to you is not “chill”?

In hindsight, I suppose I was in denial because your older brother displayed a completely different set of clues. 

Clues no more...here are a few things I've learned (and still learning) from now having 2 teen boys:

They will eat you out of your house!! Stock up on food like there's a Martial law coming. Be prepared to triple your grocery budget and have more frequent shopping trips.  You will be on a first name basis with the cashier at the check-out stand.

Their love language will change from what used to be "quality time" and "physical touch" to "receiving gifts".  The words of affirmation of their love for you seem to arrive after they have received gifts, and purchases of their desire.

Never give up, even when you are at the end of your rope!  They are moody, they appear to not like you at all.  They will challenge your authority.  Accept that they have selective hearing and have to be reminded that they are still the child, a minor not capable of making adult decisions.  This will be a constant battle as they stretch their wings of independence.  Don't acquiesce..stay rooted and firm.

Give them grace time and again because it's easy to forget, when they are towering over you, that they are still maturing.  There will be lots of trial and error moments.  Pick them up when they fall and do not shame them.  They still need your guidance (subconsciously that is) because you are their parent and not their friend. 

To my youngest teen...you are still and will always be my baby boy.  I will not stop to show affection towards you even if it embarrasses you or causes you to cringe.  I will not ever stop letting you know that in these tough years ahead of raising two teen boys that my love is boundless and that also means our boundaries remain intact and shaping your character is of utmost importance to me.

I'm buckled up for this roller coaster ride.