About Me

The other day I had this brilliant idea to write a blog about raising teenagers.  Since I’m on teens number four and five, currently residing in my basement, I figured I had a lot of material to choose from.  I did a little searching and had a  hard time finding something that intrigued me or captured me in some way.

Raising teenagers is a tough job some days.  This crew that have lived with me have ranged my bat-shit crazy to never had a moment’s stress.  Some of them have turned out exceptionally well and some are still struggling to find their way.  Either way, it’s been an incredible challenge and journey and one I thought worth sharing with others as the last two (I think this will be the last two) try to find their way through the adolescent maze of high school and hopefully on to bigger and better things.  It’s been funny and heartbreaking, stressful and overwhelming and at the same time, strangely satisfying when you see them make it to adulthood in one piece.  No matter what, it’s never been boring.

My name is Sonya and I’m a social worker / child youth worker / victim services worker / former zoo crew team leader / bleeding heart tree hugger – depending on who you talk to.  I also teach adolescent development and have done so for quite a number years now.  I have two kids of my own aged 27 and 23, two step-kids that have lived with me at various times of their lives aged 23 and 17 and an extra kid (17) that my step-daughter brought home who will now be staying until she is finished high school.  There have also been a few random other teenagers who have taken up residence in my basement for anywhere from a month to three months.  I spent many years working exclusively with teenagers and their parents and one would think that this would make raising this crew a piece of cake but I guess it’s not always the same when it’s your own kids.

So welcome.  Hope you enjoy the ride!