09/18/2026
Teenagers are full of surprises. Mine gifted me this, my heart feels so full. Worry not after school I’ll get a “ I need quiet mom, you’re so annoying!” plus or minus a door slam. It’s all about staying the course and co- regulating, the excitement, the frustrations…all of it. There is no problematic feeling or experience it’s what we do with it that can be problematic. They used to scare me teens. In part because I found it a confusing experience myself, partly because caring for them as a doctor involves needing to try unconventional ways to engage them in conversations (intro Living well teen group ). I now see it as the most interesting challenge that provokes me to examine myself and learn new ways of relating to myself and others while guiding them to discover this in themselves. It’s an adult centric world. That’s hard. It is the most challenging of parenting times. Harder in many ways than sleepless nights and temper tantrums. How does one deconstruct and explain this world full of chaos, complexity, environmental destruction, trump, war, social media….how do I inspire presence, hope, inspiration, a sense of normalcy when I myself also struggle to find it amidst all this some days. How does one ensure we embody, care and cultivate a deep sense of connection and belonging. This is the greatest need for teens. This is the most fundamental of all human needs, regardless of age. One day, one moment at a time. Now…. She could be complementing me to gift me this. She could be serving me a message I like to hear or a value I hope I’ve instilled in my kids. But maybe she is asking me for something. Maybe the gift is the reminder that it’s likely all of those things. Just ask them. They, we, need all the flex in the world. 🩷
