How long do I have?

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Ducati Diva

Enjoy it now. My daughter is 16 and things are changing. We are still really close but there are more and more times that it's not cool to hang with mom. If you want to be a part of their life as they get older be sure you open your house to the masses of kids that will be a part of their lives. I've lost track of the number of kids that call me mom. there are 6 teenagers crashed out in my living room as we speak.

Same here. I have so many adopted kids I've lost count. My house is like a safe house to some as well. I'd much rather them be here, than out getting into trouble, although I have yet to experience that. I hope I don't. I've experienced problems teens that weren't trouble....just had problems. It makes me thankful that mine don't experience what these couple of kids have.

Not cool to hang with Mom??? When does this event happen? My kids & their friends still like hanging out with me & even drag me out with them!

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by Quick281

Isn't that half the beauty of it. They all eventually become crazy independent in their teens and things get nasty but as they age they come back around.

Thats how it was in my family, my mom says 4 out of the 5 of us were absolutely terrible in our teens and then we came back around and realized how lucky we were to have her.


No matter where we all are we call in every morning and chit chat. At least the two girls do, the 3 boys let a couple days go by. But we are a very close family for our size.

Sienna is really independent now at 2. I had a few years there in my teens where mom and I didn't see eye to eye. But like you said I later learned how lucky I was and we are really close. Well my whole family is close. I love it.

James

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by Ducati Diva

Enjoy it now. My daughter is 16 and things are changing. We are still really close but there are more and more times that it's not cool to hang with mom. If you want to be a part of their life as they get older be sure you open your house to the masses of kids that will be a part of their lives. I've lost track of the number of kids that call me mom. there are 6 teenagers crashed out in my living room as we speak.

My sister said if Sienna knew how uncool I was she would stop hanging out with me now.

James

[Quick281]

Some good points raised about letting the other kids hang out.

My mom did that with me and even when some of us started drinking she just looked me in the eyes and said if you drink and drive I will kill you. But if you want to go over to someone's place and drink thats fine, just call me in the morning so that I know everything is fine.

Eventually she just let me start having people over and we would all round up car keys and then party like rockstars. Mom would make us eggs and bacon in the morning or come with us to waffle house. She figured it was best that everything took place in a house with parents, versus all of us sneaking around to do it.

My other 4 siblings (older) were raised when my parents were married and I was born into the divorced family raised by mostly my Mom. So that is some of the reasoning I had such a cool mom. All my older siblings had pulled every trick in the book, my mom just looked at me and said you can try what ever but I know them all so just tell me about it.

Don't drink and drive and don't knock anyone up. But if you do make sure her mom looks good because that is how she will age. Best words of advice ever.

Nothing beats open and honest parenting. Thats how my sisters are doing it and thats how I intend to do it.

[njchopper87]

Originally Posted by Quick281

My mom did that with me and even when some of us started drinking she just looked me in the eyes and said if you drink and drive I will kill you. But if you want to go over to someone's place and drink thats fine, just call me in the morning so that I know everything is fine.

My parents used to be extremely strict with me, but when I started getting older they realized I wasn't the moron raising hell wherever I went and then they loosened the knot. They basically told me the exact same thing. Hell, my dad and neighbor used to offer me beers around 15-16 y/o when they used to just sit around and bullshit. I guess I earned that right, because some of my friends weren't so laid back.

[SoFlaSV]

My girls were 4 and 6 when I started dating my ex, thier mother. It seems like yesterday.

The youngest is a sophomore at UNC-Charlotte and the oldest is a junior at Temple.
They were a lot cheaper back then.

[Flexin]

Here is me with my son Jayden and my little Sienna.

James

[Flexin]

Me feeding Sienna.

James

[Quick281]

Awesome pics Flexin. Be sure to have them framed on a desk so that you can look back at them everyday as they kids speed through their child hood.

[TommyHotWheel]

Originally Posted by Flexin

I was singing and dancing with my 2 year old daughter tonight. Then we were sitting back chillin listening to my mp3 player. We had a great time. She was up past bed time hanging with daddy. But it made me sad. One day she might she might be too busy, too old or what ever to hang with daddy. How much time do I have?

I love my kids.

James

You will never...Ever have long enough, but at least you will get to see them grow up.