Choose Your Own Adventure

I am not a 'mommy blogger'. It's not my thing. But, sometimes the mom in me comes out. As I do 'momming' a good amount of time.

This teenager business. It's tricky. That's all the unsolicited advice I'm ever going to give: It's tricky.

Because, you won't believe it any way. Or, you'll think it can't possibly be that hard. Or, it won't be that hard for you. Because you're awesome. You're fun. Neighborhood kids love you. All that? All that means nothing. NOTHING!

I think back to 15 years ago. The months and months and months of trying to get pregnant. All I wanted was a baby. A boy specifically. And, I got him. Later than I had planned. But, still. Mine.

Pregnancy. That's hard. I threw up a lot. I got extremely large. I had gestational diabetes and an emergency C-section. All that stuff? Mere child's play compared to parenting a teen. Child's play.

Remember how bad you wanted a baby? Channel that. Hold onto that. Because, no one says 'I can't wait to be the parent of a sullen teen!'

Because no one does.

And, hey, I don't even have it bad. I just have it annoying. Today. I have a pigsty of a room. Laundry all over the house and a whiny attitude. It's not terrible but it's also not the sweet little four year old I used to snuggle and giggle with.

Not all moments are bad. Some are downright awesome. Like tonight when we were belting out 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' in a totally awesome kitchen dance party.

I think that's the issue - why can't there be more kitchen dance parties and less shoes all over the house?

Why are these teens essentially Choose Your Own Adventure books without page numbers?

And, I swear, if I have to say 'no food on the second floor' one more time...

Fact.