Mommas and daddies of teenage boys, we are in a season of parenthood that nobody prepares you for.

Our sweet innocent baby boy is changing before our eyes, and yet, there is nothing we can do about it.

My son just turned 14, and here are some things that we have learned:

YOUR BABY BOY IS STILL THERE. Your baby is still there, he’s just hiding. You will see him in a smirk he gives you across the room or a hug when passing each other in the house. You will catch a glimpse of your baby boy when he is talking about something that excites him. He is in there, just hiding underneath a tough exterior.

DO  NOT PUSH HIM to participate in family games or outings. Yes, this can be tricky because there will be some cases where he will need to participate. However, if it is not a necessary outing or activity, simply ask if he would like to join. If he says “yes”, DO NOT make it a huge deal. If he says “no”, respect that. He is watching from the sidelines and will most likely join in with the family.  If not, that is okay, you gave him the choice not to.

LEARN WHAT INTERESTS HIM. If you can have a REAL conversation about his interest, he will open up to you more. My son loves history and learning about various wars. History is not my forte, but I am learning so that we can have conversations about things that excite him. I have found that my son talks to me about school and friends more now than before.

INTERACT WITH YOUR SON. My son loves video games, nerf wars, and Marvel. Therefore, I have learned to play a few video games, we have nerf wars often and I watch Marvel movies with him. He does not even get upset when I ask a ton of questions because we are doing something together.

Enjoy this new season of parenting. I am learning as I go, as this is my first time to be in this season.

Parenting is a fabulous rollercoaster with many ups and downs. Our children are looking to us for guidance, and many times we are unsure of how to guide them.

Be honest with your teenager and build trust. You will soon be on the other side of this season and your teenage boy will be a young adult ready to take on the world!

Guest Contributor: Melanie Flowers