You Need a POT Group
The popular author, Brené Brown’s message can be narrowed down to one word: vulnerability. To quote this successful author and public speaker, “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness.”
When I had babies, my friends and I would help each other adjust. Sleepless nights and challenging days were part of a “new normal” with the addition of each little one. As those babes grew into toddlers we joined groups like “MOPS” (Mothers of Pre- Schoolers) where we again worked through challenges together. We compared stories and talked about solutions to the typical struggles we were facing. Mostly, we were just honest and real with each other about how tough parenting was.
As the parent of toddlers, I was a fairly confident mom. I had my mental checklist and knew that the more boxes I checked off, the better my kids would do in life. As my kids entered middle and high school I could see quickly that checking boxes wasn’t giving me the results I expected. I was struggling and didn’t know what to do with that! I went back to my peers.
What I found shocked me. Everyone I talked to had kids with good grades, good friends, were good athletes, and even wanted to go to church and youth group activities. What?! How could all of these same parents now have smooth sailing households while mine seemed to be loosely controlled chaos? I knew their kids and I was pretty sure they were a lot like mine. Was I fooling myself?
I think you can see where this is headed. I honestly needed help but my support system had evolved into my competition. There were plenty of parents who simply couldn’t relate because they had very different struggles than mine but there also seemed to be many parents who saw vulnerability as a weakness. I often laughed (or cried) as I wondered where is the POT?! I wasn’t looking for weed...I was desperate for a support system for “Parents Of Teens”.
“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness.” (Brené Brown)
If we can learn to be vulnerable about our struggles the doors will be opened for others to be honest about theirs...and the ripple effect begins! Bring on the POT!
Emily is a parent of 3 grown children. Her mission is to share her experiences to help parents of teens navigate the crazy waters of being a parent of a teen.