When my boys were little, I remember feeling anxious. Were they eating enough? Were they sleeping enough? Can we make it through one school year without the stomach bug and strep? Would they ever sleep through the night? Even though I am a child psychologist, I remember thinking the anxiety I felt would get better as they got older and matured, but of course I was wrong. It seems like the anxiety that comes with parenting changes, morphs, intensifies, eases, all throughout the lifespan. As caring parents, we worry if we are doing it wrong and what our sons will become. Much of what is discussed today focuses on the mental health of our sons and concerns about raising boys in this ever-changing world. And while it is crucial that we stay attuned to the mental health of our sons, we also need to focus on our own mental health. Parenting teenage boys can be so overwhelming that we may wonder, why am I so anxious raising my teenage son?
This is a lovely gentle reminder, and appreciated.