15_12

15 is moody and argumentative. He takes significantly more than he gives to family life, making communication difficult. Moments of genuine, enjoyable connection with our beautiful firstborn child are increasingly rare. 12 is the star of his own show. He thrives on the stage, actively seeking large audiences to entertain. He would do almost anything for a laugh or for the attention of others. Talented on the rugby field, he holds his own against some impressively built peers. However, academics are not his strength, and school interests him primarily for the social connections it offers. 15_12 is a candid account of 365 days in our lives, named after their ages at the start of the journey. It explores the relentless challenges of raising teenagers in a technology-obsessed world and chronicles the lengths we go to each day to maintain perspective. The book recounts the thankless work, brutal rejections, and absurd decision-making that come with parenting teenagers who tightly cling to the belief that they rule the world. To survive the hard days, we lean on humour and sarcasm, though there are times when my emotional resilience is worn thin by their persistent mental abuse and disdain for my existence. On those days, I enjoy the guilt of knowing I have once again allowed them to bring out the worst in me as both a parent and a person.