Little Children, Little Problems. Big Children... I Don't Even Like to Talk About It.

Well, that's the saying.  And, of course, when we have little children, their problems seem awfully big.  Getting your child to sleep through the night is a huge problem.  So is potty training.  Getting your kid to eat their veggies or not bite other kids, survive teething or  learn how to share-- it's big!  But, now that I have a range of kids (and if you've raised teenagers, feel free to laugh at me), I realize how those little problems and their solutions build on each other to create (or solve) the big problems.  How do I teach my child to manage his anger- sure we learned this in Joy School when he was 3, but that was small potatoes compared to now.  How do I teach my kids about pornography, same sex marriage, puberty, sexuality?  I've always been open about talking about things, even telling my girls "the facts of life" when they were 7 or so, but now that they can "get it" more, it's hard for me.  Painfully hard, and it's especially hard because they aren't the chatty kids that want to just know stuff and talk about stuff.  We haven't even reached the stage with peers making crazy choices, drugs, teen pregnancy, and oral sex.  I can't even fathom that life.  I just have to take a deep deep deep breath and talk to my son about how to cool down when he gets overheated (his words).  And pray, really really pray and figure out how to talk to my girls about growing up and the world around them.  How to keep them innocent and pure while still getting a small glimpse of life is going to be a challenge.  By the grace of God we'll get through it, even if it takes a chunk out of me while it happens.