I think about my own teenage year and realize what a horrible person I was, to many people around me (family in particular). Now, I try to gauge my own experience against my own teenage children…and I cannot quite compute! There are many “Lost in Translation” situations. I grew up in rural Idaho. The only rural thing my children get exposed to the land not developed just down the street. My high school was full of rural people (Ye Haw) and was very small…no orchestra, marching band, swimming, AP classes, diversity, soccer, the list is endless. My children have multiple amounts of choices and experiences. Sometimes it is hard to mesh the two worlds and understand each others’ vantage points.
My oldest came home last night and said he is officially dating someone. I assumed he was dating this person for a couple of months…my bad! J Now I am on Facebook, in his business. I will try to tame my comments to this relationship in a public forum like this (but it is fun giving him crap). I asked my wife when she thought we were officially “dating” in high school? She said it was just assumed that we were dating, we never had to make a formal announcement…weird the differences. My daughter pulled out all of this paraphernalia from when Rachel and I were dating or exchanging correspondence…I asked her to put it away, I could not believe that I was soooooo sappy then. I guess I need to lighten up on my son and let him be this way (I was, even though I would deny it).
Now we have the special experience of taking a few days off for Thankfulness and I am not sure how our household will survive. There are too many needs going on in different stages and for different reasons. I hope we all get through this experience unscathed. Certain individuals will be extremely bored and expect entertainment! Can’t we just sit in silence for a good 3 hour block…I could get so much reading done. I will have to find time to re-energize while around my teenagers this week (and Isaac).
