EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Expect the unexpected - that would be a great title for a book on parenthood. Just when you think you've got your kids figured out, BAM you get hit with a surprise. My oldest daughter is 15 years old, and I really thought I had lucked out with her - she's not your typical teenager. She is a great kid, not into smoking or drugs or drinking, she is a lover of Jesus and not afraid to let the world know it, she loves spending time with her mother (which is so not what I wanted to do at age 15) . . . and she now suffers from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and anorexia. Yep - that was the "unexpected" we were hit with this summer.

I can truly say that if it can happen to my child, it can happen to anyone's child. Lauren has always been a social, outgoing, fun girl who all of a sudden became a terrified, sad, alone little girl. And to top it all off, there is no "reason" for it; it just happened. I guess in hindsight I should have known it could happen - I just didn't think it would happen to her - the "good" child.

She comes from a family with a history of depression/anxiety - on both sides of the family, but I still didn't see it happening to her. But it did, and now we are dealing with it. I know there are many people out there who would disagree with our decision to put her on medication, but therapy alone was not working. And, two weeks on medication, and we had our child back. Now that's not to say that we gave her a pill and fixed her. No, the problems are still there, but she can at least function like a "normal" person now.

I guess I just wanted to share this with people because like I said before, if it can happen to my little girl, it can happen to yours. All I can advise it that you pay attention to your kids and don't think that just because your child seems okay, that one sign that something is not okay needs to be looked at and not ignored.

So yes, expect the unexpected - parenthood summed up in one phrase.

Have a great day and hug your kids!

Marianne