Dive In | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Dive In | Previous Challenge Entry
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03/13/14
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Raising a teen in this upside down world reminds me of when I was a young girl trying to find the courage, at our local community pool, to climb the high dive and jump into the deep end. The only real difference is that not leaping from the high dive wasn’t life changing. However, not taking the plunge into the world of my teen could have an impact for a lifetime.

When I would stand looking at that enormous contraption looming at the deep end of that pool my knees would wobble. The risk was that I would plunge to my death - if I ever made it to the top of that beast. As I pondered my fate, some little dare devil would fall, screaming from the diving board into the water and come up smiling. So, the obvious conclusion was that not everybody who jumped died. Somehow that wasn’t enough to motivate me in the middle of my fear.

Now, years later, I stand looking at many other contraptions – cell phones, computers, and many other gadgets that I can’t even name. My knees wobble, and the reasons are similar. I don’t want my teen to plunge to certain death if she jumps into this world of technology too deep. As I stand here, thinking of ways to hide from this world, many others are jumping in and surviving, they even smile as they tackle this beast. I have to look at the risks through clear, informed eyes. Then I can make healthy decisions with a mind of wisdom rather than fear.

Eventually, through the coaxing of friends, I would find myself at the ladder of the high dive. I would take the first step with confidence. “I can do this,” I would tell myself, as I would continue to climb. Step by slow step I would work my way to the top. Usually, about half way up, I would climb back down, resolving to conquer this another day.

For me, parenting a teen is like climbing this ladder. There are many around me telling me to climb this ladder or that ladder. There is no one-size-fits-all method. What I did for my oldest child, does not work for my middle child, and I assume that my youngest will require me to have a whole different courage when he reaches his teen years. I must look at this enormous ladder before me and climb one step at a time. As I climb, I’m learning to trust God’s voice, not my fears, or the many voices of others. Sometimes I have to back up and try again. Sometimes I have to take a break and catch my breath. The important thing is that I don’t stop climbing to the top. My child needs me to pray and fight and encourage and discipline. I cannot quit and allow the world to have more impact on my teen than I do.

On one rare occasion, I did reach the top of the ladder. At that moment, I had a choice to make: Do I walk to the end of this very small board and jump, or do I turn around and get myself onto safe ground?

There are days that I want to stay on safe ground, as I parent my teen in this unpredictable world. It is intimidating stepping out into the unknown, trying to find my balance. However, I am learning that the more I dive into the deep end of this teen world, it won’t kill me. Sometimes, I even come up out of the depths – smiling!

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