Welcome
It’s me, Conni. It’s been a while since we’ve talked so let me reintroduce myself quickly! I am Conni Rasmussen, wife, mother, public school teacher, and founder of Simple Teen Life in 2018. Thanks for coming to my new corner.
Conni’s Corner is a new idea that I have felt compelled to write for awhile. It’s my intention to build a strong community that allows us to interact as mentors & parents of teens, or POTs as I like to call them. Positivity, helpful advice based on COMMON SENSE and HUMOR is what you will find in my corner of the world! Welcome
Ride the Roller Coaster
No need for small talk…let’s just dive in! Our lifestyle changed literally without warning. We boarded a roller coaster two years ago. We experienced steep up hill climbs followed with gut wrenching downhill dips and spirals as we screamed along the way. Finally, a few months ago the coaster came to a screeching halt. Left with whiplash, we waited for our brain and stomach to catch up to our physical bodies! Dazed and confused from it all we ask ourselves, now what?
Good Vibes Only
Our stomachs have settled back into their correct anatomical location, the roller coaster stopped, and the bulk of our teens as well as our college kids have gone back to school. Is the ride over? Not yet. Now what?
Let’s keep this first conversation light! Take a step back, pour a cup of coffee and reflect on the positive. While you sip away I will start with my own reflection of good vibes while on a horrible roller coaster ride.
FAMILY TIME
Even though it was “forced” family time it was none the less a gift. As colleges closed, our sons came home. Unexpected family time with them was a glorious gift for us as parents although it was difficult for them. We enjoyed family dinners, cold winter movie nights and countless conversations that we thought were a thing of the past with our restless young college men.
As I would lay my head on the pillow each night, I was reminded of the absolute peace that comes with having every child , no matter their age, sleeping safely under the same roof again as a family. Every parent knows this feeling.
Did you find that absolute peace during the roller coaster ride?
I genuinely hope so.
YOUR TURN
So, what is one positive thing in your life that came from that roller coaster ride? Are you smiling yet as you think of one? I know some of us throw up more than others on roller coaster rides and this was a LONG ONE! If a silver lining from this two year ride alludes you at the moment, keep thinking… one will come.
SHIFTING GEARS
As much as I would like to be a Polyanna, we can’t ignore that every issue has two sides. BTW, a Polyanna is someone who is blindly optimistic.
- I have never liked the saying, “teens are resilient.” Why?
- Resilient defined: able to withstand and recover quickly from difficult situations.
Through personal and professional experiences, I can say with complete confidence that:
“There is NO QUICK RECOVERY from the social, emotional, physical and academic stress our youth, ages 13-21 were forced to face during the long lockdown”
C. rasmussen 2022
After two years of impoverished physical contact teens were expected to just jump back into their already confusing teenage years as if nothing had happened. What a ridiculous and unrealistic expectation. With digital platforms almost overnight becoming our teens MAIN FORM of contact with peers and school for almost two years, the fallout from this lifestyle will continue to manifest itself like a second roller coaster ride.
Solution Time
What’s one way that we as parents, mentors and youth leaders can help our teens?
COMMUNICATE-COMMUNICATE-COMMUNICATE
- Directly ask them how their day, week or month is going?
- Do not set a time limit on conversation.
- Be there for as long as they talk
- Be a great listener…do NOT interrupt
- Keep your opinion to yourself unless they ask
- Give them your FULL attention
- Put YOUR phone out of reach & TURN IT OFF
I WISH
I wish I had the answers but I do not.. BUT I do have the gift of 25 years of observation that many parents of teens do not.
As a public high school teacher, teen advocate, small business owner fully staffed by teens, and a mom for 25 years I could write a book about the fallout I continue to witness in kids 13 to 21. In fact I am writing a book entitled, The Downfall of Downtime from 2017-2022. I’ll have to fill you in on that much later because it’s no where near finished!
Thanks so much for visiting with me in the corner today. I know your time is valuable and it means the world to me that you actually read this far!
It’s my goal to always close my corner with a link or resource that is based on common sense to help us all navigate this roller coaster ride with teens. Plz be sure to click it… and promise it isn’t trying to sell you anything!
As always,
spend some simple time with a teen
slow teen life down
Much love,
Conni
Conni, Beach, Barefoot, Horsehoe crabs
Love your blog!! Love how you care about the kids. Hugs!!! Also, love seeing the 3 heads too!! I can relate. Nothing better then our children safely being home.
Thank you so much for your kind words Angela. Yes, those 3 heads on the sofa during cold winter movie nites were my gift from the roller coaster ride for sure! Conni