my "tween"

Tween ~ that word used to be a thing of the past, my past! That awkward, growing up time when things that I could get away with as a kid, were no longer acceptable and things that used to be funny, were now no longer funny. That awkward time when I knew I wasn't a "kid", but I wasn't a teenager or an adult either. Where did I fit in?

That past is now a thing of my present. Not my present, but my Dylan's. This was a year of change for Dylan and it was hard, as a Mama, seeing him struggle to find his place. School was different, his friendships changed and his relationships at home were changing. I saw him struggle with kids that used to be his friends, now being mean to him. I saw his interests change. Now, that doesn't seem like a big deal, but Dylan is like his Daddy when it comes to technology and computers and there aren't too many kids his age interested in those things. Explain to a 4th grader that not everyone is going to like him and that he isn't going to please everyone. That's a tough one, especially since my Dylan is a people-pleaser and likes to have the admiration that comes from making people happy. He is not that different from the rest of us...if we were all honest with ourselves, we would admit how much we like a pat on the back from a friend or a co-worker! We have been stressing to him how we need to forget about the praise of men and seek the applause of our Heavenly Father! That's a hard one, even as adults! Another verse that we have really been concentrating on this year was Psalm 139:14 and I love this version (International Children's Bible): "I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well." I love that!! Who doesn't want to hear that they are special and amazing and wonderful? God says that is how He made us! It's not easy being made fun of or being teased or feeling like you don't fit in...it's hard growing up, let's face it! I'm thankful that I can encourage my "tween" with promises from God about how special he is! Jeremiah 29:11 promises my Dylan that He has great plans for him. Plans to prosper and not harm. Plans to give him hope and a future! I have an amazing kid and I can't believe how lucky I am to have the chance to teach him. It is alot of responsibility knowing that it's my job (Jason's too!) to train him up in the way that he should go! The Bible tells me that if I do this, that when he is grown he will not turn from that. I'm praying that I do the best that I can as his Mama and then I'm leaving it in God's hands to do the rest! Being a parent is hard work!

The fact that Dylan is a "tween" really hit me in the face the other day when we went to the library to sign up for the summer reading program and he decided to sign up for the tween/teen program! Zachary was all signed up and ready to go! He has to read, or have read to him, 15 books and then when he fills up his sheet he gets to pick a prize that, most likely, will end up in the trash in a week, but it's his prize nonetheless! Dylan would have had to read 4 hours to fill his sheet and then he would be able to pick from the same prizes that Zachary was picking from! Instead, he decided to go for the 5 hours and his name in a drawing for a cool weekly prize (he has his eye on a $10 iTunes card!). After the library, he was given his first "job"!! He has been wanting to volunteer for a few years, but the requirement is 13 years old to be considered "crew", so he is unofficially volunteering each Wednesday helping with crafts! He was so excited that he came home and started working on his name tag to print and wear on the days that he helps out! He thinks he is hot stuff!

It does my heart good when I see him thriving and happy! As hard as the year was for him, he has come out on top and he is going to be fine. He is a great kid and God is going to use him in a BIG way! I love my firstborn!