Parenting Teenagers and Olympic Shooting

I just had the opportunity to tour the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  It is an amazing facility and provides state of the art training for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.  The picture above is of the shooting range for the 10-meter Air-Rifle and Pistols.  From where we were standing we could see the electronic targets on the wall.  There was a black dot about the size of a dime.  Someone asked about the size of the bullseye.  The guide told us that was not the bullseye.  The bullseye is the same size or smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.  The athletes cannot see the bullseye from where they are standing.  However, to have a chance at competing at the Olympic games they will need to hit the bullseye with 95% or higher accuracy.  

I am the parent of three teenagers.  Sometimes this is what I feel is asked of me.  I must hit a target that I cannot see.  I understand the long-term goals of what type of adults I want them to be.  I am talking more of the day-to-day stuff.  Some days I feel like I am doing well to hit the paper and keep them alive.  Some days feel more like a bullseye.  Then there are those days where I want to figuratively turn them into targets.

These people in this picture get to look at the target and see how they did.  They get to take another shot.  They come back day after day and try again.  They review their shots.  They talk to coaches.  They shoot one shot after another.  They do not get it perfect.  It takes courage to come back day after day and practice when hundreds will try but only one will get the gold.  It takes faith to pull the trigger when you can not see the target.

As a parent, I need to follow their example.  I need to look at each shot I have with my teenagers.  I need to keep showing up and taking shots.  I need to have coaches in my life to help me along the way.  I need to remember that I will hit the bullseye sometimes, but I will never be perfect.  

It takes courage to raise teenagers.  I see why so many parents try to skip out on this stage.  They try to tell themselves that their teenagers do not want them around.  It takes courage to love them enough to stand beside them when they are doing everything they can to push you away.  It takes faith to show up each day for your teen when you can not see the end result.  

Are you parenting teenagers?  Are you still aiming for the bullseye?  Have you parented teenagers?  Did you stay in the challenge?  What did you find got you through?  Are you a teenager?  Know that your parents do care and still have a lot to teach you. 

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