One of they keys to life is not sailing it alone. Especially in untamed and uncharted waters of teens and adolescents. I’ve told you before how grateful I was when my kids were infants and toddlers to have been able to tap into truth from some powerhouses of wisdom through MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers). Thus, the creations of MOAT, a vehicle to share ideas and strategies as mothers of teens.
In order to get it going, I’ve recruited (and am recruiting) a board of very capable mothers with grown children. They all have different backgrounds and different experiences, but share the common bond of survival. BTW, not all of their children are famous titans of the business world or Mother(s) Teresa, they’ve had their fair share of challenges and heartache, but they did their best and are willing to share with us tips and tactics to successfully navigate the river.
I’m calling it the “Ironing Board”. Like a steaming hot iron, they will help us smooth out the wrinkles. Not the facial ones caused by stress (although they might have tips on those, too), but the inevitable snafus that pop up with life’s challenges. Plus, they will be the iron upon which we can sharpen ourselves. (Sweet Dottie Jones has already challenged me with a good dose of wisdom that I can’t wait to try)
Each entry, I will try to include a tip from an Ironing Board member, or favorite books, or favorite family bonding activity, etc.. They will also be available to field questions and guest blog. If you have a topic of interest, something that you are dealing with and could use some wisdom (like allowance, sibling rivalry, emotional manipulation…), we can shoot it their way and maybe get some good ideas from shoes that have been worn in. (My “teen” shoes are giving me blisters, so I’m fairly certain any advice from this mouth is worth just about what you paying for … not much!)
I hope you’re having fun walking this road. I have been so encouraged by the positive response. The more I think about it, the more I’m convicted that we need to hold these kids to a higher standard of excellence and show them how much we love and believe in them by equipping rather than enabling.
Thanks for walking it with me.
-Kay
One more thing… I think its only fair you know that I am the queen of typos. Thanks for ignoring the occasional grammatical and punctuation errors. I’ve never been detail oriented. Not to mention the amount of brain cells donated to these children.. oh yeah, and lack of sleep. There’s not much hope.
