When Is It OK To Take The Gloves Off??

Ok, I am the mother of two teenage girls, a junior and a senior in high school. My oldest will be turning 18 years old on the 7th of October. And now I am being faced with the challenging questions like..."what is my curfew, and can I go out of town with my friends". While I don't want to be that strict parent that never lets her kids roam freely, I do demand to be a part of their lives no matter what. When I describe them to people I compare them to the Simmons Girls...without the fame and glory. They are suburbanites with manners, style, and class....and those who know them, knows exactly what I'm talking about. I always knew the day would come when I would have to 'Cut the cord' I just never prepared for it. You see I was a very young mother, I had my first child at the tender age of 15, and throughout the years we have educated our girls on life and the struggles we went through as a teenage parents. The things I missed out on because I choose to have my family early. Raising kids is very hard work....there is no "How to Guide" or "Parenting for Dummies" you simply have to rely on the morals in which you were taught. While I am the parent, we're also considered best friends....for me I believe there's no other way to be. My children are my investment in life, I'm raising them to be the very respectable, and to always stay focused on their goals and the things they want to achieve in life. And with all the violence, sex, diseases, and drugs, roaming our streets, I am deathly afraid of letting my babies out into the world. She has even been talking about moving out soon...What am I gonna do! (LOL). Of course they think we're very strict, unlike the other parents...but I simply say....that's because were NOT the other parent....and you can thank me later!

Now that I have rambled on I am still clueless as to how to proceed and still maintain the relationship that I have with them. Their wonderful kids, they get good grades, and nobody has made a grandma out of me....PRAISE JESUS! Now don't get me wrong...their not perfect, as no one is. And of course we've had some rumbles in the Bronx, but overall I've got to say that my girls are going well...hell they surpassed me, and that's just what I wanted. Soon they'll be off to college and really making my dreams come true. So I will end this blog just the way it started....When Is It OK To Take The Gloves Off??

Please feel free to leave your comments...thanks!