What to do? What to do?

I find myself praying for wisdom in parenting a lot lately.

Tyler, my oldest, is starting middle school in the Fall. Recently, if we are friends on FB, you have seen the whole "cell phone talk." He wants a cell phone. He has girls texting him on my cell phone, because it is the listed number at school.

I have so NOT arrived and everyday I am trying to figure out how to best parent my boys for our family. I have so many thoughts on the subject of media and materialism and Jeremy and I have talked for hours about the subject especially when it comes to our boys. I don't have a girl yet, so I am sure it is just as many conversations about the same things, but they might look a little different.

I won't go into my specific thoughts on all the different subjects that bombard my parenting decisions but here are some things I am thankful for and that have made the things we decide easier.

First off, we try to make most major decisions before it ever comes up.

For instance, we already decided that Tyler would not have a cell phone before high school. We also have set the age for group dating and then exclusive dating. Yes, our boys already know these ages. Secondly, we try to ask people who are a step ahead of us in the game or a few steps ahead that are raising or have raised their kids in the same way. I personally like having someone back me up and reassure me that I am not ruining my kids. It is probably just me, but I feel guilty and second guess my decisions sometimes. Lastly, we remain confident in the fact that God has given us these boys to raise and it is our responsibility to do the best we can even when it isn't popular, or when our kids seem to hate us, or if it seems silly to others, and the list goes on.

I am excited for Tyler to be going into middle school. He is totally ready and I want to be just as ready!!

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.”

- C. Everett Koop