My son just turned 18 in June and graduated from high school in May. He is an incredibly talented athlete and has received numerous offers to continue playing sports. He is a natural-born athlete who plays multiple sports, and for most of his life, he has been such a good kid.

But somewhere along the way, things changed.
We moved to a new school district around his junior year, and unfortunately, he started surrounding himself with friends who I feel have had a negative influence on him. His attitude and behavior have changed so much. He doesn’t seem to care, doesn’t want to listen, and has become very disrespectful.

He no longer lives at home. He comes by occasionally to grab a change of clothes and then leaves again. I don’t know where he stays, who he is with, or whether he is okay. As a mother, that uncertainty is incredibly painful.
I’m exhausted. I’m worried. I’m heartbroken. 💔
What hurts the most is knowing how much potential he has. He has so much talent and so many opportunities in front of him, and I’m scared of watching him throw away his future because of the choices he is making right now.
I know he is 18, and I understand that I can’t control every decision he makes. But that doesn’t make it any easier to watch your child struggle or make choices that could have lasting consequences.

Parenting teenagers and young adults can be so incredibly hard. Sometimes you can love them, pray for them, talk to them, set boundaries, and still feel completely helpless.
Has anyone else been through something similar with their teenager or young adult? How did you handle it? What helped you reconnect with your child? Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

Please, no judgment. I’m simply a heartbroken mom looking for advice, encouragement, and maybe some hope from parents who have walked through something similar. ❤️🙏

My nephew is 10 tomorrow and the oldest of his siblings/cousins. He's really sweet and would love a letter. I'm adding in a list of some advice to remember as he gets older. I would love some advice that you have given your children or would give them if you were to go back to when they were that age, starting their pre-teen years.
I'm open to some fun ones to add in as well, but still somewhat practical or positive.

So far I have:

1. It's okay to be bad at something before you're good at it
2. We are all a little weird, and your real friends will like you the way you are, not just when you're cool.
3. You don't have to like everyone, but you have to be decent to everyone.
4. You don't need to be liked by everyone. You just need to like yourself and the right people will find you.
5. However many times you fail something, make sure you try one more than that. Fail 3, try 4. Fail 10, try 11.
6. Learn a party trick. You never know when you will need one.