To all the first-born teenagers out there, we are sorry and we love you. When you were first placed in your mother’s arms, red-faced, screaming, and wrapped like a burrito, we really had no idea how to parent you well. There was no instruction manual or how-to guide so we learned as we grew together, […]
In about 8 months’ time, my firstborn will have finished his final year of high school. I am excited for him and all the adventures this next stage of life will bring. But I am also struggling with a rollercoaster of emotions, knowing that this part of our journey together is nearly over. Some teens […]
Easter is coming up, so between buying chocolate bunnies and preparing for a school holiday break, I am attempting to make some space in my busy schedule to contemplate Jesus’ death and resurrection, and what it means to celebrate Easter. The Easter story is mysterious and controversial. A man named Jesus, who is fully human, […]
How many times have you caved in and said yes to one of your teenagers just to stop their incessant harping on for a bit of peace and quiet? Or maybe you have said yes to a friend’s request out of duty, not only when your plate is full, but when it’s actually overflowing with […]
1. It’s not if you are bright, it’s how you are bright This is one of the mantras at my son’s high school, and I love it. I love it because it offers hope to every student because every student has talents, skills and potential. Sometimes it is just a matter of figuring out what […]
If your teenager is in a relationship then the chances are that sooner or later they will experience the pain of a breakup. My thesaurus defines rejection as, “A slap in the face, no dice, no go, no way, thumbs down.” Harsh I know, but that’s not even the worst part. After your teen’s first […]
It’s Monday morning and I am making my way from my bedroom to my home office to brainstorm and research ideas for my next blog post. As I go to sit down in my chair, I drop for what feels like half a metre onto my backside. Someone has been sitting in my chair and […]
I read a challenging quote that said, “A lot of parents will do anything for their kids, except let them be themselves.”Most parents have hopes and dreams for their kid’s futures. They observe them when they are young and draw conclusions from their interests. The animal-loving toddler is sure to grow up to be a […]
In my last blog post I asked a bunch of teenagers the question “What do you wish your parents knew?” so I thought it would only be fair to put the same question to some parents of teens. What I noticed in these conversations with parents was they all wanted their teens to listen to […]
If you are reading this post then my guess is that you want a better relationship with your teenager. You’re tired of the arguments and tension and want to understand them more. Teenagers can be challenging, but most of them want to have a good relationship with their parents. But sadly a lot of our teens […]
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Hi I'm Robayne, a freelance writer and mum of two delightful teenagers. Parenting teens is quite the journey so I have created this space as a way to share stories and connect with others who are walking the same path. I have studied freelance journalism at the NZ Writers College and I create content over at Magnusson & Co. If you enjoy my blog and want to know when I post something new please subscribe to my newsletter.
