I'm just a woefully inadequate mother.
Either that, or parenting teenagers is like trying to do brain surgery while walking through the fun house wearing 3" stilettos and without my glasses.
I'm either doing too much and ruining their lives, or not doing enough and ruining their lives. I haven't figured out the exact perfect balance of supervision and neglect. Something tells when that when I finally do, they will be 23 and it won't matter anymore. It's no small wonder that one of the most popular books about raising teens is titled "Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall".
And I remember being the teen, don't you? I remember when my Mom would walk into the room and ask me to do something and all the hair on the back of my neck would jump to attention. I'd be laying on my bed in my groovy lower level basement room that they had lovingly provided with lime green shag carpeting and white/gold paneling. I'd hear her knees cracking all the way down the stairs (like mine do now!) and I'd get ready for the fight. She'd ask me to do something simple, like fold some laundry, and I'd whine like she had invited the firing squad over after lunch.
My parents would do horrifying things in public, like talk to my friends or yell out the car window to hurry up because they'd left supper on the stove at home. And their CLOTHES! Geez, Dad would get off the lawn mower for a quick trip into town to pick up my lazy ass AND my bike while wearing his sweaty shirt, plaid bermudas, and the sweat rag he'd tied around his head.
Parents and teens. It'll never work
17 comments:
Are you sure you aren't just writing my posts for me? LOL
I try really hard to remember how I'd lock myself in my room for hours with my radio and the phone, I had my own extension and then my own line when dad found out he could not get any phone calls with me home. I was hoping they'd just forget me and let me live my life.
I think I am so much cooler than my parents were.................right?
Today was FATHER's day but do you think they'd do ONE thing their father asked of them? NOOOOOOO!! And mine are 7 and 10!! eek.
It's always a challenge with teens. Of course, I have two daughters who are on the same cycle and PMS at the same time and I might as well just pop my eyeballs out with spoons on those days.
I am very afraid. And I owe my Mother another apology. Actually, my Mom took very ill this last week and she gave me a taste of my own medicine. She was stubborn and argumentative and whiny and just would not listen to me even though I was only trying to do what was bets for her. It was so tiring! She is on the mend and did take some of my advice/urging after all. It is pretty surreal because my Mom is not actually old enough t really NEED me...I think it is her German ancestry and behaviors mixed with my father's stoic Norwegian bachelor farmer approach to things (of course he did not come from a bachelor).
Isn't Father's day next week?
And now you see why we don't have kids.
there are days when i worry---we don't have kids! who will take care of us when we're in the nursing home?
but then there are days when i am around kids, and i go, ahaaaaaaaa
MG-you have three beautiful, vocal, headstrong, outspoken, intelligent, comical young women. Be proud of yourself.
Oh, and it was not a real "sweatband" on Dad's head...it was a strip of an old sheet-TIED on. I can smell the drawer in the workshop that held the "rags." Mmmm, miss him.
Oh, for sure. I remember all that too. And so I dread being the parents of teenagers, in 8-10 years. Gah.
My dad always used a bandana on his head when he mowed the lawn. Of course, every single bandana had a corner missing because because he spent a lot of time in the woods, and, well, you get the picture.
Yes, I have just figured out that Father's Day is in fact, NEXT week...so we'll just say that Husband is so great he gets two Father's Days this year! Wow. See how my life is?
Kim and I are extremely fortunate in that our respective ex's are horrible people and mediocre to bad parents. We look wonderful by comparison to our kids.
I think you need to adopt the parenting philosophy "The beatings will continue until morale improves..."
You hit the nail on the head. But I beg to differ with the age of 23. My 29 year old, who lives with me...has not grown into the responsible and priority driven person I had hoped. To get her assistance around the house is like pulling teeth and the constant "I'll do it...", yet IT never gets done. I believe I may be an enabler!!
Ah yes....teenagers!
- Jennifer
Oh, yes. This is my life. And my past. Payback is a, well, you know....
I think I am so much cooler than my parents
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Julie
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I think I am so much cooler than my parents
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