One Lost Teen Is Too Many

From toddlers to teens, it happens so fast.
All parents can do is remember the past.

Holding hands with mom and dad, at ages five, six, seven.
Then off they go finding friends at eleven.

At twelve they are time bombs, sometimes sweet, sometimes mean.
Then along comes the dreaded ever so exciting thirteen.

Fourteen and fifteen, those adolescent years.
Bringing such happiness and also some tears.

Beautiful, emotional girls and risky, frisky boys.
Not old enough to drive, but too old for toys.

We try to get them to appreciate time, make it precious and last.
But all our teens want to do is grow up just a little too fast.

Sixteen and seventeen, off they go behind the wheel of a car.
We struggle to cut the ties to give them the freedom to venture off that far.

Eighteen and nineteen, fighting the pain of first loves.
Going off to college, leaving home, or getting their first jobs.

Now they are turning into young adults, our dear teens.
Living out their new ideas, their goals and their dreams.

With twenty around the corner we see them maturing, becoming wiser even a bit bolder.
We want them to be safe, we want them to be happy but we especially want to see them another year older.