Age is relative. By Malcom Jacks As a parent, having brought up two children by myself since they were ages 6 and 9 years, I have witnessed many changes in there development.

The most dramatic and testing for me and them was there growing through there teenage period.

Einstein said that time is relative, and it is so true with teenagers.

Every little thing is dramatic, or traumatic, depending whether you are the teenager or the parent.

Each day for a teenager is a lifetime, and a bad day or two for them is like the end of the world.

When you get older like me, every year is like a day, and every day is a new beginning. Tomorrow is another day.

For teenagers it often seems like there parents are there prisoners, instead we are there guardians and only want to protect them during these uncertain and often fragile years.

Sometimes in wanting to find themselves, they cant wait to leave home, one way or another.

And then it can take often years for them to return.

Its like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, they have to get to the end of the yellow brick road, with all of its tribulations before they find themselves, and have to click there heals and say to them selves I want to go home.

Its very true that until you are a parent you don’t know exactly what it feels like bringing up a child. And having that worry with you all the time if they are well and safe.

My late wife used to say to me, “ if you try to clutch sand to hard with your hand, you wont be able to retain it, but if you lift it with an open hand you have more chance of retaining more.

I suppose its like bringing up teenagers. And as someone once said, “ you are the bow, and the child is the arrow“, and once the arrow has left the bow, it takes on its own flight. You can direct the arrow, but you cant anticipate what it may encounter during its flight”.

You become the onlooker, it’s a pity it wasn’t a boomerang, it would be so much simpler.

So until you children finish walking the yellow brick road, you will have to be patient and hope for the best , and maybe pray that they will eventually click there heals.

Malcolm jacks.

Based on information supplied by Malcolm Jacks.