The Facts about these People we call Parents

  
Just as your parents had parents, you too may be a parent yourself one day, and how do you reckon you are going to learn how to do this parent thing. You could learn it all from a book?……………mmm, you might become a parent and magically know how to do the whole mum or dad thing………
I don’t think so aye, what makes up a parent is a mixture of stuff. If we go back in time, your mum and dad were young people once; they could have even been kool young people too, like kool teens who hung out with a kool group of kids from school!!! Aw, you say, there is nothing kool about my mum and dad.

But you know, they were teenagers just like you, way before they became parents. They would have had parents who had rules and regulations that they may have rebelled against too, and from what I hear, it would have been way worse back in their time.

The whole teenage thing doesn’t change much over time, from generation to generation; it’s a stage in life when you may want to rebel against your parents, teachers etc., anyone in authority who threatens your FREEDOM. Your own parents would have fought for their freedom at your age too so they DO have some idea of what you might be going through. Have a korero with them, a yak about what it was like back when they were your age, take them back down memory lane, you never know, this could work in your favour.  You could ask them who their first boyfriend/girlfriend was, and how their parents, your grandparents, reacted to this. You could ask them when they had their first drink, if they smoked and again how this was for their parents, and anything else you want to know about your olds. They may become more understanding if they are able to connect with their own inner teenager. I guess their number one job is to protect you from making the same mistakes they did. I know this can get tough, but it’s like, that’s how it’s all meant to happen. We all get to be teenagers, to get an inside view into this world, to arm us with some knowledge when it becomes our turn to be parents of this amazing group of individuals.

I guess it’s about trusting in the bigger picture of life and knowing that your time will roll around, when you are that parent of a teenager, pulling your hair out. It may be about this time that you may be grateful to have the fond memories of your own teenage years and how your parents managed you, and what you got to learn from them.

If you think your parents could do with support from us, as they navigate their way through caring for you, they could contact us here at Parentline on 355 1655. Or if you’d like to talk to someone either face to face or over the phone then contact www.yoss.org.nz or www.youthline.co.nz .

Nga Mihi
Jo Te Paiho 

And who is Jo?
Kia Ora all, my names Jo, I’m one of the Counsellors at Parentline Manawatu. I’m a mum of three, ages 8, 13 and 23 and I have three mokopuna, who are 1, 4 and 5yrs of age. I’ve been asked to write a bit of a blog to all the young people out there, so enjoy.

If there is something you’d like me to write about, just add your idea in the Comments box.

These individuals, called your parents, or old folks or whatever other delightful name you may call them, are at the end of the day ,people aye………”nah “, you say, people………they are aliens that just don’t get me and are trying to make my life a living hell………………So let’s check that out, the truth behind these alien beings, the truth about why we have parents and how it’s all supposed to work.