Raising Teenager. . .

My eldest is now thirteen which means an additional load to my task of being the full time mom that i am. I have heard a lot of not-so-good stories about raising teens and i must admit it's starting to get on my nerves. In Erikson's(a psychologist), this is the stage wherein the child begins to develop his/her identify and if not properly guided, he/she may develop role confusion wherein the child struggles knowing who he/she is and experiences difficulty fitting in with peers.
Likewise, this is the stage where friends impact a great deal on how the child thinks. In my case, i've practiced the habit of making friends with these people since, eversince, i firmly believe that by knowing them you will have the idea how to deal with your own child and see where the child's point of view comes from everytime we argue. I've accepted the fact that children nowadays are way too different from my childhood. So now, i don't get scared or irritated when my child changes her nail polish 3x a week, wears a lip gloss everyday, and is so fond of wearing high-heeled shoes which, in my time, was only worn when i got into college. However, i always emphasize to her not to overdo things because she is still young.
In my pursuit to be the understanding mom that i can be, i am aware that i am not halfway that goal. I still read books and scan in the internet on how to deal with teenage kids, listen to more experienced moms and design strategies every now and then on how to deal with different situations involving my teenager.
Nobody is a perfect parent. . . and nobody is a perfect child.