Parenting Teens: Say Yes

I’m not an expert, but I do have some experience.

One of my teens is a grown up. Three are currently residing under my roof. And one more joins the trifecta this month.

(I need a hug. Or a wad of cash for car insurance. Both. I need both.)

Here’s one little tiny slice of advice.

Say yes.

To everything you possibly can say yes to.

There are SO many nos in the lives of your teens. Sometimes their lives feel like one gigantic NO.

And there are loads and plenty of things you must say NO to for your kids.

Hitch hiking. Tik Tok. Diving headfirst into unknown waters. Cell phones in their bedroom. Lit candles by their beds. Texting while driving. Swimming in a lightning storm.

Your list might look different than mine. The point is – NO is a necessity.

Which means every single time you possibly can say yes, let the word flow from your lips.

Will it be inconvenient? Often, yes.

Will it cost you actual dollars? Sometimes, sure.

Should you say it with clenched fist, tight lips and a frown on your face? Not if you can help it.

YES!

Say it with joy and a smile.

You know, like how you want someone to say it to you.

Can I make spaghetti at ten o’clock at night?

Can I stop at the thrift store?

Can fill-in-the-blank spend the night?

Do you like my new shirt?

The answer is YES.

Can I paint my bedroom?

Can I borrow your hiking boots?

YES!

I’m not saying there shouldn’t be boundaries.

There should. Clear, defined and discussed.

I’m not saying anything goes. It can’t.

In a season where so much in their life matters, where so many of their decisions create a ripple effect they could feel for the rest of their lives, the opposite still holds true too – some things DO NOT MATTER.

Say yes to those things.

Usually the yes matters more than the thing.

This actually has been a hard lesson for me to learn. And I’m still self-educating. (Maybe Otto will benefit from my slow degree in parenting.)

Say yes!

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