Mum-of-four Peta Todd on the terrible teen years as her eldest son turns 13
Being a mum to a miniature adult will make you a better parent and a more patient human as you navigate through this hormonal minefield
MY first baby is turning 13 in a few days. I will own a teenager.
I can vividly remember thinking when I was about to enter my teens that I was grown up already and had everything sussed out. Five years later, I was pregnant.
Contrary to the stereotype of a “teen mum”, I had done well at school and I had gone to church youth club for my grandmother’s benefit.
But there I was, 18 and about to have a baby.
Maybe I was naive, but I knew I would be OK.
I would navigate my way through it all and work extra hard to make this little person proud to be a part of my team.
I knew people thought I was silly and throwing my life away but I felt like an adult.
I had very little idea of how my world would change, and it’s crazy to think my boy, Finnbar, is just five years younger than I was when I had him.
And no doubt, he thinks he is all grown up already.
Truth is that unlike when we have newborns or toddlers where everyone has advice or a parenting book to recommend, there is radio silence when it comes to these miniature adults.
And although it isn’t that long since I was one, I have no idea what it is like to be a teen in today’s world.
I don’t know what it is like to have my friend take a photo of me when I have my mouth full of food and then post it online for all my peers to laugh at.
In my day, I had the click of the disposable camera to warn me to strike a pose, and then would have had to wait six weeks for the photos to get developed before having to worry.
I never hung out at Nando’s or Starbucks, I just played out in the street.
We never “did it for the ’Gram” – the closest I got was doing it for my gran.
When I look at my own children now – no matter how big or cool they think they are (I’m talking to you, Finnbar), they will always be the little humans who crawled into my bed after bad dreams.
Do I want to strangle my moody teen every other day? Yup.
Do his eye-rolls make my blood boil? 100 per cent.
Does the idea of letting him have his freedom turn me into a secret agent? You bet.
But I also cannot wait for the next phase of our relationship, even the hard chats and the arguments – it’s all part of the package.
I’m sure he’ll make mistakes, I’m sure I’ll make mistakes in how I navigate being a mum through this hormonal minefield.
But it will not only make me a better parent but a more patient human.
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So, let the fun begin.
Teenager incoming.
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