My grandson will be thirteen next month.   He is a wonderful kid, and I have no doubt he will stay a wonderful kid.  However, most teenagers have at least some teenage type issues.   So to my son and daughter in law, I give this unsolicited advice ( with my tongue firmly planted in cheek)…..

Dear Son and Daughter in law,

Soon you will say goodnight to a twelve-year-old and the next morning a teenager will appear in your life.  In this approximately 8 hour period everything will change.

The change won’t happen as much to the child as it will to you. Overnight you will become the most embarrassing, uninformed people in the world.

You will suddenly know nothing ( about ANYTHING).  Everything you say will be eye-roll worthy.    It will become important to the new teenager to hide any relationship he has with you.

You will become deaf and have sensory issues which will require the teenager to yell or huff loudly and stomp their feet with such vigor that the entire house will shake.

Oh yes, there will be times when you’ll get a glimpse of the child you knew.  Your heart will swell until you realize these are usually the times they are asking you to buy them something.

The body snatchers have stolen your child and in his place left you with this eye rolling, foot stomping, money sucking teenage thing.

Take heart, hang in there.   Continue to parent just as you always have. There will be a time ( a few years from now)  when the human being you gave birth to returns, and you’ll know that those years of parenting that teenager did make a difference.

Of course, this will happen just about the time the second one turns thirteen….

Good luck.

Love,

Mom/MIL/GiGi