Right now my oldest is on house arrest. Not literally, but she doesn't have her phone for the rest of the day. Cell phones were always something I thought I'd be against when they were younger. However, rather than resorting to the medieval methods my parents raised me and brothers with, taking their phones away has proven to be more effective than I ever could of imagined.
Right now I am enduring harsh stares and being reminded how much I am hated. It makes me chuckle though, remembering all the times I told my own parents how much I hated them growing up. It was never true and that is why I know she doesn't mean it either. If your a parent you should understand exactly what I am referring to. If you don't then you're doing something wrong. Parenting is an extraordinary feat. One I have never taken lightly. And as I stare back at her in complete awe of her defiance, I have to remind myself that it is just a phase and this too shall pass. Your children will hate you at some point. There are no perfect parents nor perfect children. Only choices we all make day in day out that define both of our roles.
Tackling pre-teen rebellion and my current mental health status is going to be the opposite of fun.. but such is life sometimes for me. A mother with an array of mental health issues. Struggling to keep my sanity all the while raising two wonderfully independent and at times defiant young girls. Striving to keep them young at heart and young in the mind in this day and age. No easy task. But it is mine and mine alone to face. The choices we make, and keep making every day to do the very best we can with what we have. Even if some says we lose a little bit of that.