This is part of my Motherhood Musings video series, where I share random (and sometimes emotional) thoughts that pop into my head as I journey along this motherhood journey. To see other musings, click here. (And don’t forget I’m offering 20% off a paid subscription this week because it’s my birthday! Redeem discount here.)
When our eldest child (who is now a very happy, joyful 20-year-old man!) entered adolescence, around the age of 13ish, he started challenging everything we said. We went from having this easy-going, adventurous boy to suddenly (and it literally felt like one day to the next) having a boy who felt prickly and grizzly. If we arrived to the beach and the waves weren’t perfect, it was our fault. If the waves were perfect, there was still something to complain about. We could say the sky was blue, and he’d find a reason to disagree. Even when I tried to offer a positive perspective to lift his mood, the conversation would often escalate into an argument. It felt like he was perpetually in the mood to argue.
My friend, Melanie Deefholts, a child development specialist, sat with me on the beach one day and offered a piece of wisdom I’ve never forgotten.
