so sorry jack- I've seen that trick

Hi there-

I am getting fat and we've been taking some baby classes and I am going to tell you all about those soon. But today I want to tell you about how I am not going to be able to put up with much crap from you when you are a teenager and I am so sorry. I have been working now for almost 8 years with young adults with disabilities. Many of the residents are developmentally in the mindset of a teenager. On a daily basis, I deal with the joy that comes from being young and carefree but I also deal daily with the growing pains of teenager type behavior. Teenager type behavior unfortunately often includes, dishonesty, a bad attitude, an abundance of belief that they know everything they will ever need to know and oh yeah they think that anyone who calls them on their behavior does not.

I guess what I am trying to say is that 16 years from now, I need to read this and remember two things. The first is just because I have already dealt with alot of bad attitudes, does not mean that is your fault. I need to give you the ability to have a bad attitude every once in a while and not be so strict with you that you want to scream. BUT- I also want you to know that before you were even born, I have seen some of the attitudes that you are going to have because every teenager, including me, thinks they know everything that is good for them and every teenager is WRONG. I think it is normal during development to start thinking that you are so enlightened that you don't need guidance or a correcting hand, but everyone does. Everyone needs someone to point out to them when they are on the wrong path and how to correct it. And the reason it is going to annoy you is that God made that the job of parents. Even when you don't live with us anymore, we will still be your parents for your whole life. Although it will be our job to give you room to grow and decide how you will "work out" your life- it will be our job to see you and help you back on the path sometimes.

So, I apologize in advance for a day when you think you know everything and I tell you that you don't. Hopefully I will be back on here later tonight with a better attitude because your dad and I are headed to a preparation for birth class to learn more about gettin' you out of me sometime in April...