My Life is a Lesson to Others

Friday night found my house full of several teenagers. Three of my own, one girlfriend, one (sort of) boyfriend, two best friends. Everyone was hanging out in the kitchen with me as I cooked something or another.

Hey, what can I say? That was a couple of days ago and today I'm doing good to remember my own name. Core class this morning kicked my butt. But! Still! I remain in a GOOD MOOD!

I decided that I'd do a nice thing and make one of my daughter's favorite cookies - the No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal things. She has to gain some weight and those will do the trick easily, and I know she'll eat them.

But I was short on butter, and so I asked them to go get some. While you are out, I said, drop the 14 year old at her friend's house for a sleepover.

I walked to the door in time to see my son hustling down the steps, calling behind him in a booming voice - Let's do this, son! - to his friend, who was directly behind him. He repeated my son's call in an equally booming voice.

Then came the girlfriend, followed by my daughter -

Who jumped from the top step, screaming,"Ayiyiyiyiyiiiiiii!" as she flew through the air, arms and legs pinwheeling and hair flying. Her friend did the same, and as they hit the grass they began to chase after each other, still screaming and smacking at each other.

The quasi friend-who-is-a-boy-but-a-sort-of-boyfriend followed, shaking his head.

The 14 year old tore out of the door - Wait for me! - and I followed behind, out onto the porch.

They piled into the car. As the engine turned over, the radio blasted some rap station, and the car drove off.

At least I saw them put on their seatbelts. And, to their credit, they *did* drive off slowly.

And my neighbors, a lovely couple with three very small blond boys, stood on the sidewalk, mouths agape. I've been there, with little kids, one of whom is still a baby, and you can't believe the noise in your house and the chaos and the overwhelming effort getting through a day takes. I saw her little boys, walking calmly down the sidewalk, one pushing a baby brother in a stroller. They were calm, and controlled and I could tell that my kids were a bit, um, overwhelming.

I waved at her, laughed and said

And you thought your life was wild - just wait, it gets so much louder and so much crazier.

Comments

[Mert]

I have loved having teenagers (not that there weren't and still are scary times)- they are always interesting. My youngest goes of to college in the fall and I'll miss having a full house. They're all home for the summer though, so I'm trying to appreciate every moment!

[Mert]

gee, that would be "off to college"
sorry

[JMB]

I think I'm happier now that my kids are older than I was when they were babies/toddlers/preschoolers. Teenagers are so funny:)

[Brandy]

My seventeen year old isn't the loud one, her ten year old brother is the loud one. But, since I grew up an only child I love the noise they make.

[Beth]

I do remember those hectic, baby/toddler years. BUT they all were in bed, asleep by 8:30! I do miss those times!!!!!

[addy]

I so miss those days - stepping over teenagers - asking they keep it to a dull roar - heading down to the basement to check on the wall or lamp damage cuz the air hockey game got "out of control" - making endless amount of snacks and wondering who was eating it all. Enjoy! It is so quiet when they are gone.....

[Lose Fat]

wow!what a nice concept!When i am teenagers i first time fall in love with someone, now this i loved him so much and i am stay with her.i always miss him so much.thanks for ur nice articulation.

[Laura]

As my kids have gotten older (6 and 10, and a 10 year old that is now back with her Mom, yay!) I've noticed they have gotten louder. Unexpected that they would get louder than the baby crying days, somehow. One day they were playing, and voices were being raised as they became excited, and the game spilled into the living room, and then back to the bedrooms. I grinned at my visiting mom-in-law, and said "at least it's a controlled chaos." Happy chaos is not bad noise to me, and with 3 kids those ages living together, it often went to bad noise very quickly. My house has been so much quieter now that my foster daughter has left.