School's out for Summer! 
I am seriously dating myself here, but back in junior high my best friend and I used to sit in her room and sing Alice Cooper songs, burn incense and talk about boys. Now my daughter is in junior high and I think the current music craze might be Fall Out Boy. She doesn't burn incense, but she loves scented lotions. As for the the boy talk, I don't know and I am not sure I want to either. Today was the last day of school and I allowed her to "go out to lunch" with her friend to McDonald's. The plan was for them to walk there themselves and go on to the aquatic center afterwards for swim team practice. All of these places are located within about one half mile. This afternoon, the other kid's mom called my house to talk to her. Apparently she told her mom that she was going to our house after school (and nothing about the lunch plans). This mom's hair was on fire she was so mad. She drove all around looking for them and she found them. You see, the girls had extra time so they stopped at WalMart (next to the aquatic center) to look at bikinis (yikes!). Neither of them had their cell phones with them (by accident). I trust my kid and didn't see anything wrong with these plans. I didn't even think the side trip was that big of a deal. I think the other mom thinks I'm irresponsible as she would not have agreed for her kid to do this. I kind of feel bad, but WP knows that her freedom would go away the instant she is caught in a lie (she learned from watching her brothers make their way through the teenage years). What do you think? Am I horribly misguided or is the other mom overprotective? (btw- her kid is terrific, very down to earth and trustworthy in my opinion.)
I am seriously dating myself here, but back in junior high my best friend and I used to sit in her room and sing Alice Cooper songs, burn incense and talk about boys. Now my daughter is in junior high and I think the current music craze might be Fall Out Boy. She doesn't burn incense, but she loves scented lotions. As for the the boy talk, I don't know and I am not sure I want to either. Today was the last day of school and I allowed her to "go out to lunch" with her friend to McDonald's. The plan was for them to walk there themselves and go on to the aquatic center afterwards for swim team practice. All of these places are located within about one half mile. This afternoon, the other kid's mom called my house to talk to her. Apparently she told her mom that she was going to our house after school (and nothing about the lunch plans). This mom's hair was on fire she was so mad. She drove all around looking for them and she found them. You see, the girls had extra time so they stopped at WalMart (next to the aquatic center) to look at bikinis (yikes!). Neither of them had their cell phones with them (by accident). I trust my kid and didn't see anything wrong with these plans. I didn't even think the side trip was that big of a deal. I think the other mom thinks I'm irresponsible as she would not have agreed for her kid to do this. I kind of feel bad, but WP knows that her freedom would go away the instant she is caught in a lie (she learned from watching her brothers make their way through the teenage years). What do you think? Am I horribly misguided or is the other mom overprotective? (btw- her kid is terrific, very down to earth and trustworthy in my opinion.)
14 comments:
Other mom freaked for no reason. She'll probably end up putting her daughter in a burka after the bikini shopping trip.
Shame on tyou for being so permissive, Claire!
;o)>
well, if the insence doesn't date ya, the $5 concert ticket does!
i'd say walmart wasn't a big deal if your kids have in the past been trustworthy. but my parent's made me call them for EVERY place we went. i used to ask them if we had to call when we stopped for gas too. (eegades i was mouthy!)
My mom is that other mom. She freaked out at the slightest thing. So yeah, she totally overreacted.
how old is she? what year is junior high? ... then I'll give my tuppence worth.. LOL
If the other mom had listened to more Alice Cooper in her youth, perhaps she wouldn't be this uptight.
I can't tell you how much I admire a parent who has the audacity to respect and trust her worthy teen.
deadman -I guess since I have already dealt with two teenagers, I'm more mellow now in my old age.
kris -She has so far proved to be very trustworthy.
jojo -my mom had 7 kids to keep track of and well, she didn't! We all ran wild.
ann- kids are generally 13 in the
7th grade. My girl is still only
12.
EOH- well I am a bit older than she is :)
jocelyn -thank you!
It's by placing no trust in your children that such breeches occur. Good for you for trusting WP and remind me of this in about two years. :)
Love the poster! I'm blasting that song in my head right now.
thanks G! My fall back position in all things is to trust until given reason not to.
I can understand why she freaked out since she didn't know/hadn't given permission. And I can understand why you were OK with it, since you had already given the OK. :)
candace- Exactly. If I had been the other mom, I'd have been pissed off, but not frantic about it.
I think that you either give kids some freedom or they take it.
I think you did the right thing. Starting at about age 14 or 15 you have to start letting your kids go. My mantra is to trust them until they give you a reason not to. Sounds like you got great kids. The bikini thing is worrisome. My 15 yr old daughter is into this "modesty" thing. I don't know how I got so lucky.
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