As a mother of five boys, my mind wanders to the pages of my children’s baby books. These books tell sweet, tender moments. The books also tell moments I was too upset to address and needed to walk off before I was ready to talk about. My mind recalls the similarities of toddlers and …show more content…
A lack of sleep mixed with a hearty dose of teenage “tude” sets the stage for the perfect storm. A teen prefers to ignore you, rather than risk public embarrassment. Teens are all about saving face. Nothing is more “uncool” than being seen with parents, much less parents reprimanding a teen having a defiant moment. Our teen loved throwing fits that involved our inability to read his mind; much like the toddler’s square peanut butter sandwich moment.
The differences between toddlers and teens still look slightly similar. The frustration from a teen with a razor tipped tongue can be harder to take than a frustrated toddler with a limited vocabulary. A toddler calling you, “Poopy head,” is a lot easier to shake off than,
“I don’t mind where I live, it’s WHOM I live with that bothers me.” A well-practiced look of utter disgust paired with scowls, eye-rolling, and muffled comments are also much harder to take, than a toddler who throws himself on the ground while screaming that they don’t like you. There is something to be said for the day the stars align and you receive your first parenting payday. Endearing words uttered by your teen as he spreads his wings to leave the nest has a tendency to make your eyes