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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Jonah is 11

Jonah turned 11 on the 20th and I now have a preteen. In Germany they call them Teenies! As a sunday school teacher and childcare worker through the years, this is the age for boys that I dread. The ages from 11-14 for boys, when they go through that awkward stage, puberty and just get goofy and annoying,I just find scary. I haven't started worrying about the teen years, which everyone is so keen on reminding me are TERRIBLE! I look forward to seeing my children go through young adulthood and mature into what I hope are polite, respectful, God-fearing adults.

So, Jonah is a trip. He is beginning to sound very much like Jason and me. That is the scary part. He is half Jason and half me in personality and he and I really clash sometimes. He loves to argue,just to argue. He has many desires/wishes that are quite outlandish and impossible and I just don't get it.It really upsets him when I tell him that he ought to focus on and create achievable goals and desires. He and Ashlyn are constantly arguing and fighting. Saturdays are not much fun when the kids are home the entire day. Ashlyn is another story but I will save her for another day. Jonah is a very talented kid, not just smart but clever too. Too clever for his own good. He loves to draw and draws the cartoon and illustrates the school newspaper. He also made me a birdfeeder for Christmas. He wants to be a film director after college. I haven't been able to find anything yet though to get him involved in directing for the summer or school year, but I hope I can find something. Maybe I can find an art class he might like.

Jonah, I love him and am proud of him and hope I can get through these next few years and maintain my sanity.

3 comments:

Becky Dietz said...

Just keep blessing him and encouraging him in his giftedness...and keep a sense of humor! I think that's how I made it through it! He'll do great!! (And so will you)

MParents said...

My dad used to say that teenage boys should be put in a barrel and fed through the hole until they were 18. Then close the hole up. There were days I could have agreed with him! But, now I have two wonderful grown boys so it was worth the hassle. One of mine was like your Jonah, but now we are closer than I ever could have imagined. Just hang in there, this too will pass. It's amazing how they can turn out so well. I praise God everyday because He is the one who did it, I just went along for the ride. - Susan Kilcoyne

Janis said...

Has Jason told you what the preteen years are called in Chile? The "edad del pavo", the "age of the turkey". I always thought that was very apt!
I hope you're correct and it's all set by age 14. I've always thought 15 was the peak year of horridness for both boy and parents. That's why I think Rowling was amazing in HP&OoP; she absolutely nailed the 15 yr old male angst, and she had no brothers or 15 year old son to give her that insight.
Anyway, just keep praying, and look forward to that wonderful day where, like us, you have this great friend-an adult child.