This post shares 40 of our favorite inspirational quotes about raising teenagers.
Let’s be honest. Raising teenagers is hard. Really hard.
It truly is like riding a roller coaster.
There are the highest of highs, when you feel like your heart will burst from pride at the young person developing in front of you.
And there are the lowest of lows like when their heart is breaking, and you can’t do anything about it, when they make a poor decision, when someone pushes them down in this world, and when you watch them do any number of stupid things.
The worry never ends, and neither does your love.
You have a front-row seat to an amazing ride–and you need to buckle up because it will be bumpy!
There are the hormones and the attitudes and the sighs and the eye-rolls.
And there is driving, so much driving. Until they start driving on their own and you miss that time with them.
Did I mention being the parent of a teenager was hard?
And the scariest part is that we have to let them figure so much of this life on their own. It really makes you miss when naptime and what sippy cup to use was our biggest challenge during those exhausting toddler years.
So, we put together some of our favorite quotes about raising teens that you could use as inspiration when you need it most.
Are you looking for a laugh? Check out the Most Hilarious, Best Quotes About Parenting Teenagers.
Inspirational Quotes about Raising Teens
Don’t sacrifice your teen’s tomorrows to get through today. “One day when your teen is grown, they really will thank you for setting limits, giving them responsibility, having high expectations, and saying “no”. Have faith in that fact. Don’t sacrifice your teen’s tomorrows for a more peaceful today.”
“The only thing I know for certain about raising teenagers is I have no idea what I’m doing. Every day I’m just hoping I didn’t mess up too badly, trying to do a little better than the previous day. Stumbling, bumbling, struggling, forgiving, talking, ignoring, guiding, praying, wishing, wondering, stressing. Loving them the only way I know how: with all my heart and everything I have. And hoping that it’s enough.”
If you are looking for some parenting inspiration about raising teens, you may also like this post: Mamas, We Need to Start Giving Ourselves the Same Grace We Give Our Kids
“I constantly go between wanting you to be my baby forever, and being excited about all the amazing things you’ll do in this life.”
This can be hard for a dad or mom of teenagers. If you fix your teen’s problems today, where will that leave them tomorrow? “It’s hard not to sweep in and try to make everything better for your child–especially when you know they are hurting. Sometimes you just have to let your kids fail even though as a parent it’s the hardest thing to do. Let your tween/teen learn from their mistakes, learn how to take accountability for their actions, and learn to overcome obstacles on their own. Remember, if you fix their problems today, where will that leave them tomorrow?
Presence more than presents. “As our kids get older, it’s even more important that we give them our undivided attention and time whenever we can.” And sometimes a hug if they will let us.
The scariest part of raising teenagers is knowing how much their brain needs to catch up to their bodies.
Teens are still developing…“The most important part of the human brain–the place where actions are weighed, situations judged, and decisions made–is right behind the forehead, in the frontal lobes. This is the last part of the brain to develop, and that is why you need to be your teens’ frontal lobes until their brains are fully wired and hooked up and ready to go on their own.” -Dr. Frances Jensen
Whenever possible, a parent’s job is to teach your child not to need you. “Kids don’t stay with you if you do it right. It’s the one job where the better you are the more surely you won’t be needed in the long run.” Barbara Kingsolver
Raising teens today can be challenging in this chaotic world. We love this inspirational quote from Brene Brown.
Our goal is to raise children who are hopeful. ““Raising children who are hopeful and who have the courage to be vulnerable means stepping back and letting them experience disappointment, deal with conflict, learn how to assert themselves, and have the opportunity to fail. If we’re always following our children into the arena, hushing the critics, and assuring their victory, they’ll never learn that they have the ability to dare greatly on their own.” -Brene Brown
Raising teens requires love, perseverance, tenacity, sweat, tears, prayers, lighting candles, and the list could go on.” -Ana Monnar Adolescence is one wild ride.
“Motherhood is a choice you make every day to put someone else’s happiness and well-being before your own. To teach hard lessons, do the right thing, even when you’re unsure what the right thing is. And forgive yourself over and over for doing everything wrong.”
Brene Brown makes our list again and is the best for giving us inspirational quotes for raising teens. Our job is to teach our teens that it’s okay to be sad. “Our go-to as parents is to make everything better. We want to flip on the lights. But our job is to teach our kids that it is okay to be sad and to sit in the dark with them.” -Brene Brown
Remember what it was like to be a teen. “one of the greatest gifts you can give your teenager is the gift of letting him know you get it. You’ve been there.”
We often can’t fix our teen’s problems. “When your teen has a hard day, don’t ask if they want to talk about it–because most of the time they won’t. Instead, ask if they want a snack, go for a cup of coffee, take a walk, or watch a movie. We often can’t fix our big kids’ problems, but we can always be available to listen and show we care.” -Whitney Fleming
Their choices aren’t always our choices. “There are a lot of different ways teen girls strive for independence. It’s in their fashion choices, music, friends, activities, and language. And sometimes their choices aren’t the same ones their parents would make for them. That means raising teen girls is walking a tightrope of setting limits and letting daughters forge their own path. This is hard, but the result can be a confident, authentic woman that loves whom she is becoming.”
Letting your kids grow up is kind of like releasing a kite. “Letting your kids grow up is kind of like releasing a kite. You hate to see it go, but it looks so beautiful and free as it climbs higher and higher in the bright blue sky.” -Susan Gale
We let go to hold on. “When you don’t support all your teen’s choices-like the blue hair or the class they decided to take or the activity they decided to quit–remember that letting them make as many as possible will be the glue that keeps your relationship in tact. When parenting teens, we let go to hold on, and watch as our babies start to take flight. It may not be the route you suggested, but take comfort in knowing you taught them to fly.” -Whitney Fleming
It is a blessing to have a front-row seat to our kids’ lives.
You will never have this day again. “You will never have this day with your teenagers again. Tomorrow they will be a little older than they were today. Just breathe, notice their faces, pay attention. it will be over before you know it.”
We don’t wanna…..Dear Mom: You get mad at me for not acting my age, and then start crying because I’m growing up too fast. Pick one!
We often find the most inspirational quotes for raising teens come from song lyrics.
Time after time. Always. “If you’re lost you can look and you will find me. Time after time. If you fall I will catch you I’ll always be waiting. Time after time.” -Cindi Lauper
Roots and wings. “There are two things we should give our children: one is roots and the other is wings.”
Ten Things Not to Stop Doing:
I hope they always know they cant tell me anything. “As my children get older, I don’t expect them to tell me everything, but I always want them to know that they can tell me anything!”
Give them permission to enjoy their childhoods just a little bit longer.
Prepare your child for the path. “We have to prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child.
“I would have given anything to keep her little. They outgrow us so much faster than we outgrow them.” -Jodi Picoult
Teens push boundaries like it’s their job. “Teens push boundaries because their lives are so confusing. They want to know what will hold fast. The only way to find out is to push.” -Kathleen Bauer
No one will ever love you like your parents. “Dear Teens: We may annoy you, lecture you, embarrass you, drive you crazy and even make you hate us some days. But no one will ever love you like we do.”
So hard watching your teen grow up. Also so wonderful. “You won’t understand how hard it was to watch you grow up. But I also hope you know how wonderful it was, too.”
I will drop everything to spend time with my teens. “If my kids want to spend time with me, I’ll do just about anything to show up.”
If you want a more pleasant teen….“If you want to have a more pleasant, cooperative teenager, be a more understanding, empathetic, consistent, loving parent.” -Stephen Covey
Just because our teens choose a different path, doesn’t mean they are lost.
If I could give my teenager three things it would be the confidence to always know their self-worth, the strength to chase their dreams, and the ability to know how truly deeply loved they are.”
The days are long and the years are short.
What a teen needs when they mess up. “I may deserve your disappointment as well as a lecture, but what I need is your understanding, your guidance, and your unconditional love.” -Richelle Goodrich
The kids are okay. “For generation after generation, teens have been criticized for everything from how they dress and the music they like to play to boundaries they push and the causes they champion. Isn’t it time we finally let go of some of the tired teen stereotypes that we recycle over and over again?” -Kira Lewis
Let your kids hear the nice things you say about them too. “If you want your hildren to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.” -Haim Ginott
There’s no such thing as a bad kid. “There’s no such thing as a ‘bad kid’–just angry, hurt, tired, scared, confused, impulsive ones expressing their feelings and needs the only way they know how. We owe it to every single one of them to always remember that.” -Dr. Jessica Stephens
Someone who believes in them. “All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and someone who believes in them.” -Magic Johnson
Nothing they could do that would make you love them less. “Some of the most important things you can communicate to a child are that feelings are okay, mistakes are fixable, and there’s nothing they could do that would push them away or make you love them less. Behavior is not perfect, it is communication. Embrace the imperfect and show children they are worth holding close to your heart, no matter what.” -Kelly Bartlett
Letting go. “Letting go of your kids is not just them physically moving away from you. Sometimes it’s letting go of expectations or aspirations or even dreams you have for them. It’s letting go of the control of their choices. It’s letting go of your heart while trying to hold onto your values. And when I let go, I hope an even more beautiful life will come to fruition for my kids than what I could have ever imagined.” -Whitney Fleming
A Few Funny and Inspirational Quotes about Raising Teenagers
You cannot raise a teenager without having a sense of humor. Here are a few of our favorite humorous quotes about raising adolescents
When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you. — Nora Ephron
Sometimes I’m left with the distinct feeling that I am outnumbered by my only child. — Colleen Ferrary Bader
A teenager is always too tired to hold a dishcloth, but never too tired to hold a phone. — Anonymous
Hey teens! If you think you’re angry now, just wait until you have to spend your own money on toilet paper. — Anonymous
“Nobody ever feels they’re doing well with teenagers, he said. I think that’s kind of the point of them.” — Jojo Moyes
“Welcome to being the parent of a teenager. Prepare for large amounts of eye-rolling, emotional outbursts, and thoughts of running away. And that’s just the parents!”
“Adolescence is perhaps nature’s way of preparing parents to welcome the empty nest.” — Anonymous
“To an adolescent, there is nothing more embarrassing than a parent.” – Dave Barry.
Parenting teens is hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are a few other posts you may like:
The Best Quotes for Mothers of Teen Daughters
The Best Quotes for Mothers of Teenage Sons
I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me What Parenting a Teenager Is Like
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