Parenting A Teenager 101

HELP!!!!

I just don't even know where to begin.  But to say that the best way to make you feel like a failure as a parent is to parent a teenager.  And a boy.  That is full of hormones.  This is all new to us.  We are both girls.  We have never had to deal with boy hormones.  And I have to say, it is NO fun. 

I feel like I am at my wits end.  What do you do when no matter what you do phases him?  No phone. No interenet.  No friends.  There will be no permit.  No license.  No car.  We are debating taking away baseball.  Well, more like, we are having serious talks about taking it away.  And it makes me sick.  I believe it may be what is needed.  But baseball is our sport.  My family lives for it.  We eat, drink, sleep, dream, breath, LIVE baseball this time of year.

And I am learning something.  And I am taking back some of the negative things that I have said.  Ya know, the ones where I have put down a parent in a sense.  What kind of parent are they for their teenager to be doing this?  What kind of mom lets their teenager act this way?  That teenager must not have the parental guidance that they need.  That kids parents must not check on him/her, because there is no way my kid would be doing that.  Cause ya know what?  My kid has great parents.  VERY involved parents.  Parents that check his grades on a daily basis and get in his shit when he is missing assignments.  Parent teacher conferences are attended.  We don't miss a baseball game unless we have two other kids that have to be somewhere else, and they don't get bussed like he does.  We have raised him to be respectful - to adults, teachers, other parents, ANY adult, and to respect women.  We talk to him about how important school is, about life, and about his choices, and consequences.  But, he still doesn't turn in his homework.  And he still skips class.  And he still talks to girls in a horrible manner.  And he still lies to us. 

So, to any parent that I have mistakenly thought of to be a non-involved parent, I am truly sorry.  Raising a teenager is rough.  I just hope it gets easier.