Teenagers


A late summer rain

A late summer rain

They'll choose, and are choosing, their own path as adults. But we chose their childhoods, in the same way every parent does.

And then it was summer

And then it was summer

I have been getting what I longed for at the end of May - a break, a rest, a reprieve. And lots of fun.

I need a summer

I need a summer

I feel weary. It's that time of year. It's that time of life. All the school year-end fuss and effort, deadlines and parties, the drama production. A long string of hard-working days, interspersed with "special" days (read: days with more work), punctuated by some bad news days. Ugh.

A vegan teen (and other interest-led learning wins)

A vegan teen (and other interest-led learning wins)

A video interview of Brienne and my mom, Karen Toews, about her vegan diet. Brienne explains why she's vegan and how she maintains a vegan diet in and un-vegan world.

The rewards of parenting in young adulthood (a birthday in the woods)

The rewards of parenting in young adulthood (a birthday in the woods)

I feel grief about these years being nearly over, all that time spent together, the beautiful mundane punctuated by exciting adventures, the whole thing steeped in love. I feel so busy trying to keep up with it all that I'm afraid I'm missing it, even while living it, even while I'm wishing it was done!

Parenting through young adulthood (our version), part two

Parenting through young adulthood (our version), part two

My kids can struggle and work through the issues of their teenage and young adult years - school, friends, identity, navigating difficult choices and dilemmas - isolated from us and our support, relationally or spatially. Or they can do it with our help. I choose the latter every time.

Parenting through young adulthood (our version), part one

Parenting through young adulthood (our version), part one

We can expand and adapt to create a family community where we love and support each other through all the ages and stages of our lives. We're humans, this is what we're meant to do.