“It is one thing to show your child the way, and a harder thing to then stand out of it.” Robert Brault (Illustration by Jim Hunt)
“When I was their age, I was mowing the lawn without having to be asked.”
“When I was their age, I was working and paying my own way.”
“When I was their age, I was married with kids, and working full time.”
“When I was their age, I knew better.”
I’ve either made these statements or heard them from friends. The fact is, we all think we know better at whatever age it is we’ve matured. But if we’re parents of young adults who are “their age,” sometimes I think we lose our minds, our common sense, and especially our memories.
We get puffed up about who we think we were back then, you know, at their age.
“The kids these days,” “this generation,” and the ones we claim are lost (to self absorption, social technology, and lack of interpersonal and work skills) are probably just about the same as we were at their age. What fuels our parental rants is the fact that it would make our job easier if they’d act our age.
But they don’t, they act their age … just like we did.
When we hear ourselves whining “When I was their age,” it’s likely time to set a boundary or two. To say “no” more often, which may be exactly why we’re cranky and griping (and sort of acting their age). Saying “no” makes our lives difficult, even painful, especially when it’s necessary to turn down offers to be their landlord, baker, banker, lawyer and preacher.
Let’s think about how we interact with our teen and young adult. Are we acting our age?
WRite wHere I’m supposed to be – When we were their age, didn’t we get by with all we could? And didn’t we only grow up as much as our parents let us go to find our own way? So at our age, who really needs to act their age?
On the side: For more entertainment, visit Jim Hunt Illustration on Facebook.
🙂
Wisdom beyond YOUR age.
You\’re cute and funny. How\’d I get so lucky?