Raising Teens Today

Mom x3 just sharing real life as it is. Being a parent of teens is hard, but being a teen is hard, too.

[The Real Rodney Lacroix @RealRodLacroix]

Daughter: [giving me attitude]

Me [picking up phone]: That's it, I'm calling Santa.

Daughter: Dad I'm 17.

[John Rich🇺🇸 @johnrich]

Being a Dad is so much fun if you do it right:) Love this👇🤣👇

[Restoring Your Faith in Humanity @HumanityChad]

Moment when beloved deployed teacher and coach shocks his students with surprise homecoming from Afghanistan!

[Iris Seraphina  @iris_seraphina]

It’s “Bring Anything But Your Backpack” to school day 🎒

[Raising Teens Today @HonestTeenTalk]

And, you better brace yourself... she's going to love you that hard FOREVER. ❤️

[princesa @myculofat]

being a woman is wild. i just cried, cleaned the house, had a snack, had a bath, & now i’m fine

[blue @bluewmist]

life hack: stop trying to be cool. be nerdy and obsessive about the things you love. enthusiasm will get you farther than indifference.

[Melissa the Hopeful🏠Homemaker @BiblicalBeauty]

I dream of a day when leaving the house requires nothing more on my part than saying, “Kids, let’s go!” and kids will appear, clothed and in their right minds, and we will all walk out the door.

Is this the impossible dream?

[Vicky ✨ @vickyinatutu]

At my daughter’s parent evening her teacher said to me ‘you can tell she’s a very happy child’ and that meant more than anything anyone has ever said to me because no one would have been able to say that about me as a child & it feels good to break that cycle.

[Crazy Vibes @CrazyVibes_1]

Two kids knocked on my door offering to rake my entire yard for $10 total—and what I did next changed how they'll see hard work forever.
It was a Saturday afternoon when I heard the doorbell. Two boys, probably around 11 or 12, stood on my porch holding rakes that looked almost too big for them. The taller one cleared his throat nervously: "Excuse me, sir. Would you like us to rake your yard? We'll do the whole thing for ten dollars."

I looked past them at my lawn. Leaves everywhere. It was going to be at least two hours of work, maybe three.
"Ten dollars each?" I asked.
They glanced at each other. The shorter one shook his head. "No sir. Ten dollars total. We'll split it."

Five dollars each. For hours of hard labor.
I could have said yes. I could have gotten my entire yard raked for pocket change and called it a teaching moment about negotiation. But something about the way they stood there—hopeful, polite, willing to work—reminded me of myself at that age. Hustling. Trying. Just wanting a chance.

"Alright," I said. "You've got a deal. Get started."
For the next two and a half hours, I watched those kids work. They didn't cut corners. They didn't complain. They raked every section, bagged the leaves, and even swept off my driveway without being asked. When they finally knocked to let me know they were done, they were sweating, exhausted, and smiling.
I walked out with my wallet. "You boys did incredible work," I said, handing them four twenty-dollar bills. "Here's your payment."
The taller one's eyes went wide. "Sir, we said ten—"

"I know what you said. But I also know what two hours of quality work is worth. You earned every dollar of this."
They stared at the money like they couldn't believe it was real. Then the shorter one looked up at me and said quietly, "Thank you. Really. Thank you."
As they walked away, I heard them talking excitedly about what they'd spend it on. And I realized something: we talk a lot about teaching kids the value of hard work, but we don't always show them that hard work actually gets valued.
Those boys didn't ask for a handout. They offered a service. They showed up. They delivered. And in a world that sometimes feels like it punishes effort and rewards shortcuts, I wanted them to walk away knowing that good work doesn't go unnoticed.
If you work hard, if you show up with integrity, if you give your best even when nobody's watching—good people will see it. And they'll bless you for it.
That's not just a lesson for kids. That's a lesson for all of us.

[Zeddy🇰🇪 @ZeddyBariti]

PLEASE take pictures with your parents. Take pictures of them, with them, videos, the whole lot. I promise one day you will be grateful you did.

[Farm Girl Carrie 👩‍🌾 @FarmGirlCarrie]

Was this you?

[Thrilla the Gorilla @ThrillaRilla369]

Most of you are gonna tell me i'm wrong, but it needs to be said anyway: Trade schools for plumbing, electricians, carpenters, culinary arts, and more deserve just as much respect as any four-year university. 💪🎓🔧

[Raising Teens Today @HonestTeenTalk]

having a teen daughter is wild...
she’ll roll her eyes at me sixteen times, slam her door twice, and then send me a TikTok at 11:47 PM like,
“This made me think of us.”🤔

[Raising Teens Today @HonestTeenTalk]

Play hooky from school or work, bundle up, and GO PLAY IN IT! Life is short...

[𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 @Matt_Pinner]

You wake up to this

What is the first thing you do

[Raising Teens Today @HonestTeenTalk]

School is such a huge part of our kids’ lives, but it’s also where they can lose sight of what matters. Between the grades, pressure, and the endless comparisons, it’s easy for them to forget that school is just one chapter of their story. Their story is truly just beginning. 💜