I have a thing.

I have a thing. It's something that bothers me and I'm not sure which aspect bothers me more. The fact that she does this - or the fact that it bothers me that she does this. Okay, I'll spill. I work with a woman who is a bit of an older mom with a husband and one child. Said child is now a freshman in high school and heavily involved in sports.

Expectations are very high for - I'll call her Randi. Grades are A's and if not - why not? Her sports are taken seriously with both parents going to every single practice and every single game or meet possible. And Randi is good. Of course she does have the benefit of a good mind and some private coaching. When Randi wants something, Randi usually gets it. She's rarely in trouble although at this age she is starting to clash with her dad sometimes, but for the most part she is a good kid. Her parents know her friends, her friends parents, and know where she is at all times. No, they really do.

During work sometimes Randi's mom will go on the school's website to check on Randi's grades. She always knows what day there is a test, hell - she knows what TIME the test is. When her husband calls, Randi is what they talk about. Randi has practice, Randi needs her bag, Randi needs some protein before she goes to play ball.

There is some super emeshment going on there which may seem a bit weird to me because my family has always been the opposite. My mom was lucky if she ever knew where I was at that age, and when or if I was coming home. I was a rotten teenager with very few redeeming qualities. Maybe my mom didn't keep track because she was hoping one day I might just wander off and not come back. Whew! What a relief! Okay, she wouldn't have felt like that. But lets just say I gave her enough aggravation that I came home one night and found her drinking something nasty like blueberry brandy right out of the bottle. And my mom didn't drink.

Anyway.

I think I've said it before, I told my kids that their rooms were their own. I would not go through their stuff, they would have privacy. Unless of course they gave me cause. If there was cause I told them I would toss their rooms, turn them upside down until I was satisfied I had found anything I needed to find. Never had to do it.

Sometimes I think it's easier for me to feel 16 and comfortable leaving my diary open on my bed, than being an almost 50 year mother of 2 grown *sniff sniff* kids - whose privacy I respect. But I do. Respect their privacy I mean. So when this gal at work starts talking about some things I have a tendency to jump on her - and I always feel bad. It's not my place to tell her she's right or she's wrong, but DAMN! Honestly I can't help myself.

The last time was when she told me she went on to Randi's Facebook page, and saw a friend there that might not be a good influence. She called her husband and he went on Randi's Facebook page and blocked the friend! I about wigged out! He WHAT????? You have a good kid!! Why are you on her Facebook page? And even if it's okay with her that you look at her page - what's with dad BLOCKING someone on HER PAGE??? Okay, bloooooood pressssuuurrreee... ohm...

The next thing and most recent, and I kept my mouth mostly shut for this one, was "I went to Randi's Facebook page and one of her friends was asking one of her other friends whether Randi and he are back together again!" Wait a minute. You're SPYING on her??? "No, I'm not spying." But you're going on there with the sole reason of seeing if she's maybe seeing that young guy again, cause you think it's cute. Even though she's not supposed to have a boyfriend yet. "It IS cute. I just wanna seeeeee...!!!"

And for some reason this makes me crazy. Randi really is a good kid, the 'gets everything she wants' part is offset by the very high expectations for grades, appearance, manners, etc. She is so busy with her sports she would barely have TIME to get in any trouble. I just wish her mom would start loosening up the strings a bit. Let the kid have some thoughts even, that aren't monitored by mom and dad. Give her a little freedom to make her own mistakes. If the friend was a bad influence, talk to her but let her make the decision to remove the other kid. Don't do it FOR her without even telling her! And don't go to her Facebook page to see if that cute blond boy is coming around again. Don't you know how mortifying parents are to a young teenager!?!?? Let her tell YOU!

Guide her. Teach her. Give her a good solid foundation for her life. And then - let HER live it. TRUST her to live it.

Maxine Monday

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It's all I've ever wanted!

So yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from my daughter who informed me she was on her way home from school “to clean the house!!”

???

She was coming home to clean the house as a birthday gift to me, being the starving college student and all that. I have been asking for this gift since I don’t know – forever maybe??? Mother’s Day, my birthday, Christmas – kids – don’t spend money on me – just clean the house. I’ll love it!

And now it’s finally happening. Sigh-h-h.

Life is good.