Pages

May 10, 2013

10 things I love about Mothering Teenagers

I actually only have a few more months until I only have ONE teenager. What the what? This list could be endless, but I'm limiting it to the first 10 things I can think of.


1. I can be totally inappropriate and make them laugh. {Describing my upcoming visit to the gyno; a belly buster)

2. They drive. This can be an down for me too; 'cause I am a professional worrier.
BUT, they can drive me when I'm tired. {tired= I had a glass of wine with dinner}

3. If I slip and cuss on occasion, it's nothing they've not already heard.

4. We laugh at the same jokes. And more importantly, they think I am hilarious. That feeling is mutual.

5. When they are heading out with their boyfriends I can say things like: "Don't go getting yourselves knocked up or I'll put a hurting on you."

6. If I mention anything to do with myself being naked and their father in the same state as me when I'm naked they give me a disgusted, loud and exaggerated groan of grossness.
This only makes me want to mention those things even more. 
How the heck to do they think they got here? {see #5}

7. I don't have to drive them to school or pack a lunch anymore. PTA meetings? Those are a thing of the past.

8. They do their own laundry. Sure, sometimes they wait until it is piled taller than they are. And on occasion  they might forget to add soap to the washer, but that's not my problem anymore.

9. I'm never asked to help with homework. Thank you baby Jesus for that!

10.  They take care of me. {The Coach does too} It's nice that if I'm sick, they will be my instant nurse nightingale. Food, drink, meds and running errands. I never thought about this future payback when I was tending to sick tummies, fevers, lice {what is the plural for lice?} or cleaning up chocolate pudding puke off my floors/walls. There is a payoff to doing all that stuff.


I really enjoyed the baby and toddler years, although I was a bit 'wound up' back then with the desire for perfection....what a waist of energy that was.
The middle years......they kinda drove me nuts. {daily bickering}

But the last few years I've seen that all our handi-work has paid off; setting boundaries and expectations early and enforcing them consistently is the way to go!
I'm a lucky duck Bee!

18 comments:

  1. And what wonderful girls you have raised!! Such a beautiful family!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have beautiful girls inside and out, too! You don't have to worry about an ugly daughter trying to catch a husband so you don't have to support them forever!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your girls are so stunningly beautiful. Just like their momma.

    #6 made me laugh out loud, as that very sentence ("How do you think YOU got here?!") came out of Magnum's mouth this week during a conversation with Stud.

    Happy Mother's Day, my sweet friend! I know your crew will make it the best day ever. And, you deserve all the pampering and love they'll undoubtedly lavish upon you! =)

    xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree!!! Having adult (or almost) daughters is great. We birthed ourselves best friends! Glad you mentioned the homework, being the taxi driver, PTA, etc. As one song says, "We've done our time, we've paid our dues!"

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah yes, I'm almost there myself. :-) I did enjoy the time when they were little, but like you I was a tad wound up then. You and coach have done a great job with your girls and they are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isn't it great that each stage of your children's lives seem to be the best? Happy Mother's Day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love this picture! Happy Mother's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are raising two VERY lovely daughters who will totally be there to care for you when you are an old, wrinkled, deaf, smelly person. That's what it's all about. LOL Happy Mother's Day!! *just kidding about the smelly part*

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are a blessed Mama! And I'd say they are blessed to have you as their Mama! :) Happy Mother's Day, Suz!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lice is the plural for louse.

    Yes, that's what I am commenting on!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Suz, You do have a couple of WONDERFUL girls --and that's thanks to a great Mom and Dad. You and Coach have done a good job with them. You certainly can be VERY proud.

    We just got home from a week at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Had a fabulous time....

    Happy Mother's Day.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  12. utterly wonderful post, SUCH a nice family...and your daughters are SO TALL!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your list makes it obvious that you (and Coach) did a great job of raising your girls to become young ladies. I hope the three of them spoiled you on Mother's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awwww, you make it look so wonderful! Can you all share clothes? That would be another bonus!

    ReplyDelete
  15. oh i love this!!! {but am now giggling at gary's comment on how tall the girls are... all i can think of is linds "hooker heels!"}

    ok. back to being sensible. oh, wait... are we ever sensible?!

    i can't even pick a favorite... they are all so true! i only wish we had had a teen with us a the brass tap this weekend... remind me to tell you about how i got eric to go with me to chipotle :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Look at the three of you! Fabulous! You and the girls look fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am hitting those middle years right now. Hard. Your post has left me feeling hopeful and a little misty eyed. Thanks for the giggle and for letting some of us know that that this hard work of parenting really will pay off :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I fear I am approaching the bickering stage...9 and 10...scares me a bit for them to be teens. Hope they still like me. Seems like you have it all figured out!

    ReplyDelete

You read it, now share your thoughts.