Women and...Life's Challenges

The Teenager: 1 a.m.

About the time teenagers are filled with notions of individuality, they are overwhelmed with a need to belong to a group. No wonder they get confused! If you have been the parent of a teenager, you'll understand the following message. I hope the teenagers do.

It's 1 a.m....You wake up in unbelievable pain. It's time! You fight down the panic and wake up your husband. You are about to become parents. No time for sleeping.

I'ts 1 a.m....You brought your new baby home today, your too excited to sleep. Besides, you keep waking up to check to see if he (or she)is breathing or take another look at him.

It's 1`a.m....You drag out of your warm spot on a cold winter night to check the diaper, maybe he's wet. He might get cold if he's wet, and now that you're up, you might as well feed him.

It's 1 a.m...You are up cleaning house, the baby has been sick for two days, and it's the only time you can get your housework done. Maybe, you can catch up on your sleep some when stop cutting teeth.

It's 1 a.m... You don't dare go to sleep, the baby has a fever over 100 degrees. You feel so sorry for him, you couldnt rest anyway knowing he was sick. He looks so helpless..you pick him up and pray those big red chicken pox don't scar his beautiful soft skin. You cry for him and wish you could make the pain go away.

It's 1 a.m....It has been a rough day at your job, but your finally home and need to hem his new blue jeans. He starts school tomorrow. You don't go to bed because you're too nervous to sleep anyway. What if he needs to go to the bathroom, or get a drink and they won't let him. what if someone hurts his feeling at school.

It's 1 a.m....You need to go to bed, but your little man is playing football for the first time. And you need to make a midnight run to Wal-Mart for black socks, he absolutely MUST HAVE by tomorrow, but only told you about few minutes ago.

It's 1 a.m.... You are exhausted, but you need to soak this football uniform a little more before you wash and press it. You cant get still enough to rest anyway. What if he gets hurt? You remind yourself while you're pressing his jersey, good mothers dont rush out on the field when this jersey is on the bottom of a pile of football players.

It's 1 a.m...He left today for an entire week at camp. Fianlly, you can get to bed by 9 p.m....,tossing and turning wondering if he can learn to swim, will he drown? What if the camp counselors don't really watch what he's doing...what if he gets hurt?


It's 1 a.m....It's been a long week, though you havent slept all week worrying about him. Now, you are too excited to sleep because he's coming home tomorrow...you missed him so much, cant wait to see him and hear all about his adventure.


It's 1 a.m.. You turn around and...you cant sleep because he is getting his drivers licenses tomorrow! Or maybe he wont...what if he doesn't, he will be so embarassed. He is so nervous...it hurts to see him suffer. Oh, what if he has to face his friends? That would be terrible!


It's 1 a.m...No sleep tonight! He got the drivers licenses. You are so glad he is feeling good about himself...all grown up. But...oh no...now he will be driving!

It's 1 a.m... a sound coming from his room wakes you up...he's crying. You tiptoe to his door, like so many nights before. As you knock on the door, you hear the dreaded words you knew you would hear someday...."go away and leave me alone". You feel like a mule kicked you in the stomach.

1 a.m....How can you just "go away"? Your worst fear has been realized...he doesnt think he needs you any more. You have to adjust to the fact ..."his world is just his world, now". The hands that bandaged his wounds, and touched his heart all these years... are now tied. You've done the best you could. But you dont love him any less...than when you rocked him when he cried. But now...you can only go back to bed...not to sleep but to worry ...and wait for the day, he realizes he still needs you in his life.

1 a.m....You walk the floor, you look at the clock. Where could he be? Is he alright? Maybe, you should call his friends or the police...no...that would embarass him. You are so afraid these days to do the wrong thing. But you are never quite sure what the wrong thing is anymore. The only thing you know for sure is your love for him has not changed. So you wait...you worry...but you dont sleep!

1 a.m.....The same night, maybe only a block away, your son sits on the hood of your. He is so wrapped up in his friends, he has forgotten the time. He notices his watch (that you bought himso he could make it home on time) and suddenly, says"...Aw man, I gotta go... my old lady gonna throw a fit. You guys cant believe how hard I have it. She acts like I owe her something!She expects me to be home at a certain time just so she can go to sleep! His friends all join in his self-pity for having such a messed up mom.


Teenagers give the mothers a break! It's not easy to be rational when you've not slept a full night in 17 years! Your mothers have been programed to be concerned about your every whim since before you were born. So don't expect it to stop just because YOU have decided you are grown up. Afterall, someone once said, "When I was 18 my mother didnt understand anything about the real world--it is amazing how much she learned by the time I was 21."

Remember things like these on Mother's Day...they are the things that make a mother. Dont be so quick to push your parents aside...the world is a lonely place when there is no one left to care...and it has been said..."nobody loves you like your mother".