Faith and rise

My boys are not so little anymore. At 13, they are almost as tall as me, with shoes that can easily be mistaken for their dad’s. Their voices are starting to break. Sometimes they sound deep and grown-up. Other times, they crack in a way that makes us all laugh.

But along with all these changes, they’ve also discovered something new – the art of arguing.

It’s not the loud, angry kind. It’s the clever, logical, “let me present my case to the jury” kind. I sometimes feel like I’m raising two lawyers. Every rule I set becomes a debate.

“Ten more minutes of screen time won’t hurt, mamma. Look at the research – it’s good for hand-eye coordination.”
“Why should homework be done today when it’s only due next week?”
“Everyone else gets to do it, why not us?”
“And just one more pizza or dessert won’t make a difference – we’ll eat healthy tomorrow!”

They have their points lined up, their defenses ready, and their confidence unshaken. And truth be told, sometimes I have to hide my smile. Their arguments are so sharp, even if they are about video games or YouTube.

Still, I hold my ground. Because as much as I admire their growing minds, I also know that not every clever argument deserves a win. Rules exist for a reason. Boundaries exist for a reason. And part of growing up is learning that not everything in life can be negotiated.

Of course, they don’t see it that way yet. To them, I’m just being “unfair.” To me, I’m quietly watching them practice skills. These skills might one day help them in bigger battles. They’ll need to stand up for themselves, for others, and for what’s right.

Here’s the part that melts me. After all the debates, banging doors, sighs, and eye-rolls, they still come back to me. One will drop onto the couch beside me and lean in, almost absentmindedly. The other will throw an arm around me out of nowhere. And softly, I’ll hear –“Mamma, I love you”.

In that moment, the lawyers disappear. The rules, the debates, the tug-of-war – all of it fades. And there they are again, my sweet charmers. The little boys who still need their mamma’s hug, even as they’re busy growing into young men.

Ah Motherhood – I’ve realized, is about holding both sides at once. It involves the loud, opinionated, almost-teen lawyers testing their wings. It also includes the boys with softest hearts who still come home for love.

Both are real. Both are mine.

And both remind me that no matter how tall they grow, I’ll always be their safe place.

To every parent in the middle of teenage debates – I see you. It’s not easy, but in between the arguments, don’t forget to hold on to those hugs.

They’re the reminders that beneath it all, the sweet charmers are still there.