Raising Teenagers Through Pancakes

For those of you parenting teenagers, you get me when I say that the highs and lows can be far more dizzying than parenting a toddler! Sure, you should be physically less tired, but the emotional battles can drain more quickly than an apple juice sippy cup.

Having a teenager, a tween and a 1st grader, I'm wearing multiple hats. One thing I see in both the youngest and oldest is the desire to be independent and served at the same time! The 7 year old wants to pour his own milk from a full jug that I take down from the fridge just as much as the 14 year old wants me to drop him off places and then make myself scarce. It's that age old dance between neediness and independence.

I especially find the teenager wanting to be self-sufficient and at the same time wanting to be babied. Perhaps that is more a function of being the first born. It's no doubt that his love language is “acts of service.” More than once a day I find myself saying to him, “If it is something you can do for yourself, you probably should do it for yourself.” Yet all the while I'm doing a dance in my own head, thinking, “I might only have 3 more years to do for him.” Consistency was never my strength, but I do know in my heart that over-serving him would be a disservice. If not only to him, then to his future roommates and wife.

It was just Saturday morning while I was making scrambled eggs, that my oldest son requested pancakes. I suggested that he go ahead and make them since I was cooking the eggs. One huge mess and some grumbling later he was serving hot cakes to his little brother and sister. Batter was on the counter, he used the wrong spatula, some were flipped before the tell-tail-bubbles appeared, but bellies were full and a sense of satisfaction was shared by all! I'm always glad when I've nudged him gently toward independence. I think in the end he will be, too.

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My husband Daniel with our son, Max. Circa 2010. Photo courtesy of Nadine Nasby

We all know it goes by so fast. My friend and colleague, Nadine Nasby has helped me document every-day family moments with natural, relational photography for years. Her tagline, Comfy. Candid. Completely You. says it all! When she told me that this time of year she is busy taking Senior pictures, I thought I would give you the simple gift of her name. 

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Here are some photos from her most recent senior picture session.

If you have a senior and want to have something memorable created, Nadine is booking now. 407.340.2990 [email protected]