For those of you not parents this may bore you, but if you are sick of seeing posts about horrible teens, this might be encouraging.
I’m a paranoid parent with trust issues and I know it’s not right. So I try extra hard to let go and not fall for the tv-social media hype about how crappy our teens are these days. Last night, my faith in teens and teen parents was fortified once again. (Could also be because my sons have picked friends who are pretty awesome too though.)
Last night I went to pick up my Sophomore from a Junior’s house. My son does not ‘hang out’ with friends and it was beginning to worry me that I was causing him to be sheltered or he was becoming a recluse. But one of the guys he hangs out with at lunch asked him and a couple others to come over. My husband drove him over, and I kept myself busy so I didn’t call every hour and be dumb/annoying. I did call at the 3 and 6 hour mark.
When I came to pick him up: the Mario Cart Monopoly game was still out, cookies the boys had made were still baking and no mom in sight. But the 2 buddies welcomed me in and laughed about the way they played their board games. BOARD GAMES! Yes they did some video too, but BOARD GAMES! The Junior served his 14 year old brother cookies and milk first. And we continued to talk as they all dunked chocolate chip cookies in their milk and talked about college plans for over an hour! Heh.
It was later the mom came out of the back room (after working all day). So sweet, she apologized for not coming out earlier, but was bushed. She was the one to tell me the car out front was a gift to her son from her parents. The young gentleman was blushing, “They didn’t have to do that for me. It’s was so sweet of them and I’m very grateful.”
OMG.... I adore this KID! And the other young man we took home so he wouldn’t ride his bike home in the dark through no-so-well-lit streets, so kind and such a gentleman as well. And delightful humor!! Please and thank yous and all that.
It was just what I needed this week.
My 14 year old’s friend took him to one of those trampoline places earlier this week. My 10 year old and his brothers were invited to a Nerf War (high school sibling having as much fun as the little ones.) And now this? These 17 year old boys are playing board games, baking cookies so his mom can rest, serving his younger brother sweetly, and proud that his dad’s company has his him on 24 emergency call because they have such confidence in him. WOW! WOOWOW! A teen beaming at how proud he is of his hard working parents.
I know my kids are awesome gentlemen (they damned well better be!) But just a signal boost out there: There are some awesome teens out here and they may be quiet, but a little home grown goodness needs to be shared out around the world.
Think I’m going to remind my boys tonight how much I love them and how sweet they are. Just like their dad who puts up with this batshit crazy woman.
