A page I follow on Facebook recently posted a picture of a text conversation between a college kid and his/her mom. The text said, “Do I just grab the clothes with my hands and put them in the dryer.” I could not help but laugh thinking of all the kids out there on their own trying to figure out the laundry.
Admittedly, I have been guilty of over-helping my kids, but the laundry was one of those chores I could not wait to teach them. In fact, when we were building our house we found a small piece of unused space on the 2nd floor of the plans, so now the girls have their own washer and dryer and I love it!
On that same note though, one of my girls saw me putting dishwashing detergent in the dishwasher and said, “Oh, I didn’t know you put that stuff in there.” Normally, I would have just thought “cool, teachable moment” but all I could think was how many times she may have started the dishwasher without it. Thank goodness that is not one of her usual chores, but still…
Overparenting is something I think many of us are guilty of. We all know that it is important to teach our kids to be independent and figure things out on their own, but it can be tough to do that. Whether we are trying to protect them or it is just easier to do it ourselves, stepping in and taking over really does not help anyone in the long run. In her feature, Are You Overparenting?, Sarah Lyons addresses some of the pitfalls and solutions to help us avoid this slippery slope.
Maybe a tiny part of overparenting is also not recognizing (or not wanting to recognize) that our children are growing up. We still see them as the adorable little toddlers and we hear stories about the teen years that make us a bit nervous but, in reality, the teen years can be great! I honestly love the teenage stage we are in now. Sure, there are moments, but that is true at any stage of parenting. It is so cool to see the girls transform into young adults with their own thoughts and dreams and perceptions of the world. I like when they share their music with me and expand my interests by learning about their interests. My girls challenge me with intellectual, well thought out political discussions, they introduce me to new hobbies, and have even encouraged me to learn an instrument and pick up painting again.
We all know the benefits of being connected to our teens, but how do we strengthen that connection? Sharing interests helps, but what are some tangible things we can do? Fortunately, Cheryl Maguire shares some of her ideas in this month’s feature, The Importance of Teen Connectedness and How to Achieve It.
Something I am super excited about seeing in this month’s issue is the Family Calendar! Now that the COVID numbers are improving, more people are being vaccinated and things are opening back up, we are starting to see the return of events. That, my friends, is exciting news! To see what is available this month, check out the Family Calendar. As you are making your plans, make sure you also check out the expanded Summer Camp Directory. We have added even more camps this month to help you plan a great summer!
So as we close out this April issue, I hope everyone enjoys some wonderful family time outside and has happy, healthy spring!
Author: Lynn Knighton
Lynn has called the Mobile Bay area home since 2006 with her husband Brad and their 3 daughters. Following the sale of her Abrakadoodle franchise, Lynn still wanted to serve families and help them thrive. Becoming the Publisher of Mobile Bay Parents was the perfect opportunity. Now she invests into family's lives each month by providing the with the area's #1 go-to resource for moms and dads.
