Ever since Stephanie's 13th birthday we have been receiving comments from other adults expressing their sympathies because our daughter is now a teenager.We've heard everything from,"Sure she's a good kid,but just wait,now that she's teenager..."to the ever inspiring,"Well,all kids are rotten when they are teenagers,just try to go through it the best way you can."What's more upsetting is that many of these insensitive adults feel the need to share their negative predictions well within the hearing of both our daughters. I know that teenagers can be moody and difficult at times,but I'm 38 and I can also be difficult and moody.We worry about the future and want today's kids to know that we care for them and that there are opportunities that wait for them.However, at the very point they set out on that journey toward adulthood we stand there watching them disapprovingly ,just waiting for them to make mistakes."just like we knew they would."We tell them to respect themselves and to say no to drugs,yet we fail to set a positive example by treating them with kindness and consideration,demonstrating our respect for them. I have,at times been guilty of this behavior but am now realizing that the more I see each person as a person,the more I am pleasantly surprised in some way or another. For example,a few weeks ago my husband and I were having dinner at our favorite restaurant and two teenage boys came in and sat down right beside us.I must admit that my first thought was,"perfect,there goes our quiet, peaceful dinner."I was so wrong! These young men were well behaved.quiet and left a nice tip for the waitress.Once I looked beyond the jeans so loose they were practically falling off and the multi-colored hair, I saw what fine people these kids were. Many of the people who,perhaps unknowingly, treat teens with disrespect are unhappy about the fact that pop singers and sports stars are our children's heroes. I feel that unless we give them something better to go after, we really shouldn't complain. When their children reach their teens,parents usually expect  _  .
trouble sympathy congratulations inspiring comments