Dear Michelle,
Dear
Michelle
,
Why can't my daughter manage her life better?
Why
ca
n't
my
daughter
manage
her
life
better
?
She is 17 and an honor student, but she seems to be wasting her life away with a boyfriend who is holding her back.
She
is
17
and
an
honor
student
,
but
she
seems
to
be
wasting
her
life
away
with
a
boyfriend
who
is
holding
her
back
.
He consumes every waking minute of her precious time and smooth-talks her as well.
He
consumes
every
waking
minute
of
her
precious
time
and
smooth-talks
her
as
well
.
His goal is to get her to agree to go to the college of his choice, not her choice, and because his grades are lower, his choice will be limited.
His
goal
is
to
get
her
to
agree
to
go
to
the
college
of
his
choice
,
not
her
choice
,
and
because
his
grades
are
lower
,
his
choice
will
be
limited
.
I feel like I want to rescue her, but she pushes me away and shuts me out.
I
feel
like
I
want
to
rescue
her
,
but
she
pushes
me
away
and
shuts
me
out
.
She has only brought us pride and joy; and now this!
She
has
only
brought
us
pride
and
joy
;
and
now
this
!
Help!
Help
!
A worried mother
A
worried
mother
Dear Mother of a 17-year-old Girl,
Dear
Mother
of
a
17-year-old
Girl
,
Hmmmmm.
Hmmmmm
.
What's the matter with kids today?
What
's
the
matter
with
kids
today
?
Remember that song from "Bye Bye Birdie"?
Remember
that
song
from
``
Bye
Bye
Birdie
''
?
Well if you do not, let me fill you in about teenagers and their life-management skills.
Well
if
you
do
not
,
let
me
fill
you
in
about
teenagers
and
their
life-management
skills
.
Do not expect too much too soon because at the ripe age of 17, life-management is not within their reach, nor should it be.
Do
not
expect
too
much
too
soon
because
at
the
ripe
age
of
17
,
life-management
is
not
within
their
reach
,
nor
should
it
be
.
Life experience creates both the conditions and the skills for management, and if management went before experience, there would be little of it.
Life
experience
creates
both
the
conditions
and
the
skills
for
management
,
and
if
management
went
before
experience
,
there
would
be
little
of
it
.
Your daughter is an honor student for good reasons.
Your
daughter
is
an
honor
student
for
good
reasons
.
She is smart, studies with intelligence and you have given her good values.
She
is
smart
,
studies
with
intelligence
and
you
have
given
her
good
values
.
When the time comes for her to apply for college, and she visits the ones that are specifically designed for students at the top of their grade, she will most likely break away from her boyfriend's influence.
When
the
time
comes
for
her
to
apply
for
college
,
and
she
visits
the
ones
that
are
specifically
designed
for
students
at
the
top
of
their
grade
,
she
will
most
likely
break
away
from
her
boyfriend
's
influence
.
It is rare for an honor student to change the path of their academic career for puppy love.
It
is
rare
for
an
honor
student
to
change
the
path
of
their
academic
career
for
puppy
love
.
That being said, there might be some adolescent wisdom in her behavior after all.
That
being
said
,
there
might
be
some
adolescent
wisdom
in
her
behavior
after
all
.
Perhaps she is choosing to worry you, her parents, for unconscious reasons.
Perhaps
she
is
choosing
to
worry
you
,
her
parents
,
for
unconscious
reasons
.
Being such a good girl and being a steady source of joy might have become a bit too much for her.
Being
such
a
good
girl
and
being
a
steady
source
of
joy
might
have
become
a
bit
too
much
for
her
.
Let your daughter have her own private moment of 11th grade rebellion.
Let
your
daughter
have
her
own
private
moment
of
11th
grade
rebellion
.
She deserves a break from perfection.
She
deserves
a
break
from
perfection
.
Michelle
Michelle
Dear Michelle,  Why can't my daughter manage her life better? She is 17 and an honor student, but she seems to be wasting her life away with a boyfriend who is holding her back.  He consumes every waking minute of her precious time and smooth-talks her as well.  His goal is to get her to agree to go to the college of his choice, not her choice, and because his grades are lower, his choice will be limited.  I feel like I want to rescue her, but she pushes me away and shuts me out. She has only brought us pride and joy; and now this! Help!  A worried mother  Dear Mother of a 17-year-old Girl,  Hmmmmm. What's the matter with kids today? Remember that song from "Bye Bye Birdie"?  Well if you do not, let me fill you in about teenagers and their life-management skills. Do not expect too much too soon because at the ripe age of 17, life-management is not within their reach, nor should it be.  Life experience creates both the conditions and the skills for management, and if management went before experience, there would be little of it.  Your daughter is an honor student for good reasons. She is smart, studies with intelligence and you have given her good values.  When the time comes for her to apply for college, and she visits the ones that are specifically designed for students at the top of their grade, she will most likely break away from her boyfriend's influence.  It is rare for an honor student to change the path of their academic career for puppy love. That being said, there might be some adolescent wisdom in her behavior after all.  Perhaps she is choosing to worry you, her parents, for unconscious reasons. Being such a good girl and being a steady source of joy might have become a bit too much for her.  Let your daughter have her own private moment of 11th grade rebellion. She deserves a break from perfection.  Michelle