Teens...Eeeek!

If you have a child, they are inevitably going to turn into a teen. There is simply no way around it. We have four kids, and they are pretty spread out, age wise. Well, at least I call 14 years, 9 years, 5 years, and 3 months old, spread out. I was young when I had our first child. So, I have always been a "young" Mom with him...at school and sporting events and the like. With the middle two children, I'm about an average age Mom. And while 31 isn't on old age to have a child, I think I will be on the older side of Moms when our baby Blake starts school. I guess my point is that with our oldest, who is now a teenager, it seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was a teenager myself (even though he is sure it was ages ago). So, I feel like I should know quite a bit about that stage of life, it hasn't been tooooo long, and I'm not that forgetful. Yet. The problem is this: I know all about being a teenage girl, but nothing about being a teenage boy. Oh my. For our oldest, things started changing about 2 years ago. Dare I even say the word, "puberty". Ugh. I am not comfortable with stuff like this. I know I should be, with four kids and all. But, yikes...I am not. I remember several years back, we were riding along in the car, Andrew (our oldest) in the front seat beside me, staring ever so intently under his arm. I asked, "What are you doing???" Andrew replied, "Looking for puberty, Mom!!" Haaaaaaa! It is one of my favorite memories of him, I almost had to pull over because I was beside myself with laughter. I knew he meant he was looking for arm pit hairs, which were a sign of puberty, but how he said it just killed me! After I could calm down though, I thought to myself, "Oh my word, this child is going to go through that stage, and I'm going to have to deal with it". Not the best realization I've ever had to come to. Anyway, I'm rambling on a bit here, but I'm just amazed how my son, in a couple of short years, has gone from a little boy, to a young man. He even has a mustache (of sorts). I have had several talks with him about "stuff" but I am constantly wondering if I am talking to him enough, if I'm getting through to him...if he's comfortable with it? Will he ask questions and talk to me when he needs to or will he be too embarrassed? Will I miss something important? My biggest issue is sex. I have talked with him about the importance of waiting until he is married. I have explained that's how God designed it. But, let's be honest here...a lot of kids Don't wait. I didn't. His dad didn't. And he knows that it's something I regret, I tried to talk openly about it with him, without sharing too many details. So, I don't know if it's right to continue to push waiting until he's married (I mean, I know it's right to push that but is that ALL I should push?)...but should I also push birth control, etc, knowing that he may not wait? On one hand I don't want to act like that's an option, not waiting until marriage, but on the other, I don't want to be a grandmother any time soon...and I don't want my son to get an STD that is so rampant these days. Wow. It's overwhelming having a child this age. Then, there are the talks about drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, fitting in, etc, etc. The biggest thing I feel I can do is pray for him. Pray that God keeps him free from any addiction, any abuse, and unGodly strongholds in his life. I pray that he is confident in who he is, never feels the need to impress anyone, and lives for his Savior, and Him alone. I love my son, he is an awesome child...but I admit, I am not in love with having a teen and all these "issues" to deal with. Since he's the first...the oldest...it's pretty much trial and error with him (poor guy!) and I'm sure I will learn and grow with him, and handle it much better with his two brothers who will go through all this later in life. And. We won't even talk about Isabel. Teen years...with a girl. Oh my. Lord, be with me.