Parallels Between Hiking and Parenting Teens With Mental Health Challenges
Laurie Moser . Published July 18th, 2024
Watridge Lake, AB
Last week we went on this beautiful hike. The older I get the more I like hiking.
Hiking for me is a lot like parenting.
The harder the hike, the more it feels like parenting teens.
We start off on this hike with our 13.5 year old dog, Bella.
I'm excited, it's warm but not too hot, sunny, clear blue skies, I'm feeling energized and no one else is on this beautiful path.
About half way up, I'm getting hot, wishing I was wearing my shorts but knowing that the bugs and bushes would be attacking my legs if I was.
I feel like quitting at this point.
I keep thinking more and more about our delicious packed lunch and wanting to eat that. 🥪
Almost there but instead of being excited, I'm wondering why I love hiking? It's hot now, I'm sweaty, tired, hungry and just want to sit down.
But, I keep going and then we reach paradise!
It's the most serene, satisfying and peaceful feeling for me.
We come to this beautiful mountain lake and no one is there!
How do we have this beautiful place that looks like an AI generated picture to ourselves?
As I'm sitting there enjoying my lunch with my husband and Bella, that's when the similarities of hiking and parenting teens hits me!
You start off with ideas of how you're going to parent.
Then you have a teen with mental health challenges and it throws your world upside down.
Feelings of failure, frustration and isolation.
You keep going though.
You get help from others, such as therapy, group support, friends and caring for yourself. 🥰
With new knowledge, resources, tools and strategies you feel better equipped to handle the daily challenges and issues of life and raising teens struggling with mental health challenges.
💎 That beautiful reward at the end of a hard hike: connection with your teen! (Even better than a beautiful lake)
Your teens feels supported and you feel supported.
This might be as simple as having a conversation without anyone yelling.
Keep going up that hill, it's worth the view!
Thanks for reading, friends! 🌸
Laurie
LAURIE MOSER
Laurie Moser is an advocate for moms’ mental health. Supporting moms who have teens with mental health challenges to feel calm & create an unshakeable bond with their teen no matter what’s going on in their lives. Laurie has been featured by Focus on the Family, Real Biz Moms, Tracking Happiness and a guest on 5 Minutes for Me App, Voice of Women (VOW), I Never Knew (INK), Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads and the Life Changing Habits Summit.
