It’s no secret that I like my toddlers more than more teenagers. Emphasis on the word “like”. Toddlers are just so much more agreeable, and even when they’re not, they boast a whole lot of cuteness to make up for it.
Still, I would have to say that I firmly believe that opposition spices up life. My struggle to raise teenagers and still “like” them provides the contrast I need to swell with pride at their successes. I can’t help but be their biggest fan.
Last night, Anna put on the “blue dress” for the first time. The blue dress isn’t just a pretty get-up, it is a symbol. A symbol that one has attained the highest level of choral excellence in our local high school. (Which pretty much has the best choir in the whole state).
Last night was her first concert wearing the “blue dress”. I’ve been attending these concerts for years in support of neighbors, young women I taught at church and so on. Anna came with me on many of those occasions. It surprised me how much pride I felt in my daughter, hearing her high soprano voice sailing above the others now that it was her turn to don the blue dress on that same stage.
The volatility of raising teenagers is real. But the satisfaction at observing their transformation into distinct almost-adults tops it a million times over. Watching them come into their own and magnify their talents is a parental privilege that for me defies description.