Children. Why oh why

Why do we have children. It seems like a good idea at the time but once thirteen short years fly by, we are faced with the inevitable six or seven very, very long years. Recently I have been fortunate enough to witness my daughters 13th birthday. Fortunate?
gone are the days of carefree parenting. where every problem could be solved with a few words of encouragment, a shiny sticker or a magic rub to make it better. Now your welcomed with the very opposite of open arms to the teenage years, go straight there. do not pass go. do not collect two hundred pounds. This is the point where everything changes. where even good will gestures are greeted with hostility and attitudic behavior. Asking a simple question can easily turn into full scale nuclear retaliation!
They will argue and justify their actions with no sense whatsoever, believing you are the stupid one for not understanding their motives. Epic fail on my part.

' be careful on your bike, I don't want you breaking any bones before our holiday. '
'Ok, I'm just going out to ride backwards.'
'Have you not listened to a word I've said?'
'What, it's ok, it's the same as riding forwards.'
' well no it's completely the opposite, literally!'
'Whatever.'
'Aaarrrrhh!'
Sadly, this conversation actually took place.
I, like many of you I'm sure are at a point where you have exhausted all options to try and get your loving,sweet, adorable baby back. The exploding into a raging dribble of un-satisfying rage has no effect. Neither does the ' I'm a modern age parent', quiet voices please... In-fact, there is no answer, no shortcut and positively no way out of avoiding these problematic years. the only possible solution you can hope for, and cling on to tightly with both hands, is that the stormy years will be short lived. hope, occasionally there will be a break in the clouds and When all else fails peek through your rosé tinted spectacles at the wonderful pre-teen years and feel safe in the knowledge that when the white water has settled back to an idillic stream, the once known and cherished apple of your eye will be waiting, back to their adorable self. Hopefully.