Another Teen Phase

Our handsome teen has entered into a new phase of his life, with the addition of a steady girlfriend in his life.  They don't call it "going steady" anymore, in fact they would rather not call it anything, but he has admitted that he has a girlfriend now.

A whole new path for a parent to tread.  For instance, do we let them have private time in his room?  I wasn't sure, so I asked him....when the girlfriend was there.  "So Auntie Ingrid says I shouldn't let you two be alone together..."   They were innocently lying up in his loft bed watching movies on his iPhone.  How innocent?  Well I don't really know, but I do know that soon after my "intervention", Sean had climbed up into the loft bed also, to chat and generally make it very difficult for his big brother to have any private time with his chosen female!  

Ultimately, I have to trust my teenager.  We've had "the talk", he isn't stupid, and he is growing up.  Like so many other teen issues, we as parents have a fine line to walk between hovering and avoidance.  Hopefully our boy keeps his wits about him and navigates the teen years successfully.

Now Sean, on the other hand, has started hugging certain girls at school, just the ones he likes.  It's gotten to the point that the girls are complaining and Mommy is off to have a little visit with the vice-principal on Wednesday. Sigh.  Something tells me his teen years won't be quite as easy, and the fine line we walk will run a different course.  Hopefully he too navigates the teen years well....I have enough gray hairs already!