It's Ok to Wait

So recently, I welcomed a 13 year old son to my life.  That's right a teenager!  Since he turned 12 he was counting down the days until he'll be an official teen.  In my mind, I too was counting down but for different reasons.  I was ready to start "letting go" a little bit at a time.  By "letting go" I meant I was ready to slowly allow my son to grow.  Rochon and I purposely waited until he turned 13 to get his first cell phone.  We are now ok with him watching some PG-13 movies.  We can talk openly about more mature subject matters around him.  This is because we had him wait.  When you wait or teach your child to wait until the time is right you give them a sense of  a "time for everything."  Kids in America don't necessarily have a rite of passage to go through.  They don't have to get stung by 30 vicious bees to prove they are men, fight in tribal wars, shave their heads, or kill their first game to provide for their families as they are now men.  Our kids for the most part get cell phones because they can.  They watch what they want because they can.  They receive money as an "allowance" just because it's what proper parents do for their children.  I'm not saying this is wrong.  I'm just saying this is the culture that is creating the generation now known as "Generation- What Can You Do For Me." I think we can do better. Let's take our time with our children.  They will be children for such a short time versus the length of time they are adults.  Protect what they hear, listen and do.  When the time is right and maturity is being displayed you will then know to give a little "give."  This waiting game will help them in their teenage years when they have to exercise the biggest waiting time of their lives...their first time. By then, they won't be strangers to know what it's like to wait because you've helped them practice their whole lives.  It's not a guarantee, it's just a small step in helping them realize that there is strength and beauty in waiting.  For that give God all of the credit but give yourself a pat on the back.