Baby Gotta BooBoo

It is so hard to be a teenager. Heck, it was hard when "I" was a teenager. Being 13-21, anywhere in between, you are trying to find not only your place, but just a place. It's frustrating, exhilarating, trying, and nerve-wracking.

The baby had a bad day. I feel bad that she has to go through the suffering portion of "learning by experience", but it must be done. She explained to me today what she was feeling, what she was going through, and how it was affecting her. I explained to her that I do actually know how she feels. I told her that a lot of what she's going through is the same stuff that adults go through. For example:

1. Friends come and go more quickly when you're young, but as an adult your friends are equally scarce - they have their own lives and families to care for and can't spend as much time with you as you'd like.
2. You have to set limits for yourself. This includes how much crap you'll take from people, how much you drink, how much to save/spend, how long you date before you take the next step.
3. Family time is less frequent. Kids and parents work and have things they want to do alone, or there are conflicting schedules.

For now, the baby is moving home. I am still getting my roommate and the baby will have to make due in the basement for now. I did tell her I was renting out her room. I did tell her that if she came back home that she would have to move to the basement. I also did tell her that there would be a time limit for her to get herself together.

She needs to find another/a different job, get her driver's license, find/buy a car, save up some money before she gets out on her own again.

I reminded the baby how much Daddy and I love her. And that we can't look at the situation of her moving home as a failure. It's not a failure as long as she has learned something from the experience. I'm still so proud of her for taking a shot at it and giving it a try. I love that baby girl of mine. I cannot say it enough.