What they forget to tell you in childbirth class…

There’s something they forget to tell you about in childbirth classes. Nineteen years after finishing that exhilarating and exciting class, the omission is becoming more and more glaring. It’s called TEENAGERS. They forget to tell you that the little adorable baby that you will soon hold will keep growing and then tower over you. That this little baby wrapped up so comfortably inside of you won’t fit in your lap forever. That these little beings that you carry around for 9 months, the ones you give your body and sleep away to, will have no memories of this and will never feel the gratitude that you think should be coming to you. And they don’t tell you that even though you teach them life skills and watch them develop each day, behold; teenage hood arrives. And they’re no longer actively looking for your guidance at every move and slowly they forget that you’re the one who got them there to begin with.

In just a few days my fifth child joins the four older siblings in Planet Teenagers.. I watch in awe; so humbled to be the mother of these big kids, so proud of each of their accomplishments and so exhausted from trying to figure them out. 

When I look at my teens, I see a newborn, a toddler, a child and teen all morphed into one. And I find it challenging to remember that in their eyes, they only see adult. 

They talk a different language, they march to a different beat. It’s absolutely amazing how they can make you love them to pieces and drive you crazy, all at the same time. 

And what makes things even more interesting, is simultaneously parenting toddlers and teens. When everyone is home, my heart is bursting with love and joy, while wishing that my brain had a 5x speed option, to keep up with everyone’s needs.

“What’s for lunch? I’m starving!”

“Anything good to eat for breakfast?”

“Can I get the car keys?”

“He broke my Lego tower!!”

“Ahhh she just spilled the whole bowl on the floor!!”

“Which credit card can I use at Target?”

“He took my markers!”

“Can you check what I added to the Amazon cart? I need it asap.”

“We’re out of sriracha! We must get sriracha!”

(I don’t even know if that last one the five year old or the 15 year old, it can definitely be both.)

All ages and stages, a mix of topics and needs from changing diapers to kids who drive, all going on at once. It’s exhilarating, it’s exhausting  and it’s the best type of hectic.

When everyone is home and I walk into the kitchen, it’s hard to know what time of day it is. Every meal is simultaneously being served, depending what time that child woke up. Eggs are frying on the stove, someone is making pizza in the Betty Crocker, the sandwich maker is going and something is in the oven. Remnants of someone making sushi are noticeable on the counter and the noise level is loud.

There’s a tangle of wires on the counter as phones, AirPods, mp3s and battery packs are being charged. 

“Why do the little kids stay up so late?!” My big teens want to know. “We went to sleep much earlier! Why do you let them stay up?!”

“Because you guys didn’t have big siblings keeping you up!” How to explain to these big little adult teen kids that they have changed the nature of our home, that they have changed my life and most importantly, they have changed me. For the better.