Mother of 4 teens!
I am a mother of FOUR teenagers, and I’m going crazy. My husband travels a great deal of the time, and I’m left holding the house afloat. HELP! Any recommended books, workshops, etc?
Trish
My favorite cousin has finished raising all of her teenagers! Now that they’ve returned with honor from their missions and are married in the Temple, she looks back at those crazy times when they were all teens and says with a smile on her face…”I was in the trenches back then!” It is one of my favorite quotes, because when we’re in the trenches as parents and particularly as mothers, we feel like we’re going crazy!
Your description of your life, with a husband that travels a lot is echoed by SO many mothers who feel overwhelmed! There are numerous parenting books out there for you to read. My best advice to you however, is to look for ways to find some balance in your own life, in the midst of this parental “insanity.”
By that I mean to try and discover what fills your physical and emotional bucket. You must create some time for yourself, so you can recharge your batteries and therefore have more to give to your 4 teens. It could be a weekly bubble bath, or reading from your favorite book, or an occasional girls night out. What is it that makes you feel loved? In other words Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself… concentrate on “thyself” so you can have what you need to meet the demands of motherhood at this stage in your life. This too shall pass and you’ll have graduations and before you know it an empty nest. Enjoy as much as you can the gift of time with your kids…even if they drive you crazy!
Good luck,
Elia Gourgouris Ph.D.
303-523-6396
www.LDSCoaching.com
