Teen Power
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 6:31 AM 
Wow! I am amazed at the power of one brief teenage interaction (as mentioned in my last post). I mean think about this…that post contained personal information about the great author Kathleen Norris, coupled with photos filled with innuendo, talk of French food, soul experiences and other adventures. Good stuff, all!! So who warrants the conversation in the majority of the numerous comments?? The teen, of course! Hmmmmm.
Just a little update. The “outburst” seemed to kind of clear out her pipes (or “whatever”) and she morphed back into a reasonable human being for now…Oh wait, she’s sleeping now...and it is a moment to cherish! Anyway, I really appreciate the camaraderie and thoughtful comments shared by so many of you.
My son (who is swiftly nearing the end of his teen years) has turned into quite the man of wisdom. Here are a few of his words on the topic of children…
“Well, you know, Mom, that’s just the way it is. Having kids is really hard. People think it’s gonna be fun and it is for…well, however long it’s fun for…and then it’s just hard.”
Teens. They really are powerful!
self-portrait by my girl
Family
Reader Comments (12)
I recall that one of your icons, Anne Lamott, had an alter ego name for the beast that lived inside her teenage son, and would call him that name when the beast came out. Apparently it gave each of them a way to recognize the critter as real, but not the essence of, her son. And, I suppose may of us commented as we did because Kathleen Norris is more of an abstraction for many of us, but a teenage daughter or son is a concrete reality in the memory of our own lives, the lives of our children, or in some cases, in the lives of our grandchildren. Somehow they manage to raise our collective anxiety as we worry them into adulthood.
CP
Oh Lucy, I don't have kids but your son's gems of wisdom cracked me up! :) I of course am still witness to the various behaviors of my stepson and the now also teenage aged children of my friends in different countries, the "whatever" is universal for sure.
Also, I just have to remember my own teenage years, I used to be at odds with my mother ALL the time and moved out as soon as I could once I graduated from high school. It is only now that I am older myself that I appreciate what she went through and also how much she did for us. We get on very well these days and even though we can still irritate each other to bits we are also treasuring the times we have together when she comes to visit.
Glad to hear though that your daughter snapped out of it again ... for now anyway :) She will soon enough know what a cool and great mother you are!
I love it when there sleeping..
~smile~
it's when the hormones aren't roaring at me!
((((LOVE))))
great self-portrait and i love what country parson says about creating a name for this part of her. who is your daughter's inner lucy?
Having received a very sweet personal note from the "wild with whatever teen" this week, I'm positive you must have been exaggerating her outburst!......
Yes, I did note the sympathy and awareness you raised in us readers with the words of the teen - frankly, however, I was more impressed by the "erectoral college!".....sorry, couldn't resist!
and oh yeah......teens, waaaaaaayyyyy too powerful - they scare me and make me glad that I and my own children are out of those years. I do quake at watching my family's teens at work:)
The roller coaster of parenting... and the gift of being a normal person just like Kathleen Norris. Thanks for your honesty!
cp--i love the idea of naming that inner beast. i also understand the stirrings and pull toward personal experience and memories. in some odd sort of way, this post reminded me of "it takes a village to raise a child"!
kerstin--i had no idea you left home so early and "at odds" with your mom. i know how close you too are today, so that gives me great hope. thanks!!
sorrow--"sleeping" has always been one of my favorite moments of parenting (both for me and the children). it seems to wash away the outer pressures.
C--she is definitely a creative artist when she chooses to let that side out. i am going to ponder about her "inner lucy". i know she has one!!!
SS--yes, i am certain i imagined it all...especially when you consider the note you received was unprompted by moi. hurray for the erectoral college...things are looking up :-)
thanks, thymekeeper...glad to see you here and LOVE the moniker!
My five year old son declared last Sunday "Love Day." He made me a beautiful card, wrote me a book (titled "The Bad Accident"), cut out a heart for me, and brought me a bowl of Sweet Tarts. I'm going to cling to this memory, and hopefully, when we reach those teen years and he's being...well...a teen, I will remember that he does in fact love me, and that he is a wonderful person.
This is one of the many reasons I love blogland--we get everyone's perpective, at all different stages, and we all have these nuggets of wisdom to share. Life is good. Even when it's difficult, life is good.
I always felt my students HATED me. They didn't talk negatively about me to others, but I just never felt the warmth. Eventually, one of the boys would sidle up and confide to me "We don't hate you, Mizzz, we're just kids." I was reminded of that by your son's remarks.
if you repsond like a robot your brilliant daughter would never have survived our home!!
parenting is terrifying and i am amazed there are young families entering into parenthood every day with great joy and hopes. it must be the human spirit with in that tenaciously chooses life.
potter
karen--your 5 year olds declaration of "love day" warms my heart. i have many similar memories from my now teen that i need to hold onto!! thank you.