What I know now that I wish I knew as a teen

There is a saying going around that says teach your children what you wish you knew at their age. It’s a true statement. I think my mom only taught me what she knew and that was limited so as I am older I teach what I know which is also limited and my hope is that as my kids grow they will know more than they know and teach their kids and so on and so on. I think if I knew some of the things my kids know now at my age I would have been so much farther along. So here is a post about what I know now that I wish I knew as a teen and how I’m teaching my kids because when you know better you do better.

What I know now that I wish I knew as a teen

What do you know now at your big age that you wish you knew when you were between 12 – 16?

I wish I knew more about money and how it really worked. My mom only told me not to get a credit card but she didn’t really go into detail about it. I have changed my mind a little about credit cards (although I still don’t have one) but I can see how it helps you and how you can use it to your benefit. I wish I knew more about how to manage my money as a child. My mom didn’t invite me in when it was time to pay bills or show me how to save and pay myself first. I corrected that with my kids. I got each of them a bank account and make them pay small bills (streaming stuff) so they can learn how to use their money wisely and how money does not grow on trees. I also want them to know the benefits of saving especially in the economy we live in.

You don‘t have to be one thing. Yes you can do it all and be all. As a child I thought I could only be a CEO of a company but I can in fact be that and a mom, and a wife, and own a side hustle, and have other things going on. You can do whatever you put your mind too and it matters how you balance your day. It also matters who is in your circle who can help you achieve what needs to be done.

It’s ok to change your mind. I tell my kids this all the time because I didn’t think it was cool to keep changing your mind and it’s not but you have to do what makes out comfortable and it’s ok to change your mind as you go from goal to goal or vision to vision. Change your mind and do it again and then again until you are at a place of peace and satisfaction.

No means no. Keke Palmer did a good job about raising awareness with this on her twitter a few days ago. No means no I don’t care if it’s something simple as boring money to something huge as saying no to your friend or boyfriend. No is a complete sentence. As a parent when I used to tell my mom no I would get in trouble. Now I do know whats best for my kids but listen to the older ones when they say no about something. Listen and hear them out as to why and then work through that conversation.

We were all awkward at one point and time some folks just hid it. I thought it was a crime to be awkward come to find out a lot of people have something weird unique to only them. I told my daughter to embrace her awkwardness and be ok with not fitting in.

How to pick the right friends. I wish I had a better understanding of this when I was a teen. I always talk to my kids about being a good friend and also picking the right ones. I lead by example they see how I do with my friends as an example. Picking the right friends in middle school and high school can be tough especially for girls. I say make sure you pick friends that have your back, won’t let you do dumb stuff, and will always be there even if they can’t be there physically. This is a tough one and you can only learn how to pick the good ones by going through a few bad ones first.

I wish i heard more of my moms mistakes instead of her telling me what I shouldn’t do. I heard her but why? What mistakes did you make and what did you learn. I would have liked to hear more of that and so since I didn’t I tell my kids the mistakes I’ve made. Some of them are funny but most are learning lessons. I told my daughter I made a mistake one time by taking the word of a non friend over the words of a friend. I lost my good friend in the process because I made the mistake of not hearing her out. I want my children to know about the mistakes I’ve made as a child so that even if they repeat it (they will cause they hard headed) they at least know the consequences or a way to do things better.

Now it’s your turn. What do you wish you knew as a child that you know now? What things are you teaching your kids that are different?