Wednesday 23 January 2013

Teen Queen and the Frenchman

It's been a long time since I had a teenager in the house.
I'd forgotten what it was like.
But I'm remembering with a vengeance.

It's a state of never really knowing where you stand.
Of grinning and bearing whatever is thrown at you.
Of smiling even when you want to yell.
Of yelling and instantly wishing you hadn't.
Of coaxing and cajoling - sometimes with amazing results, sometimes with no results at all.



You know what they're like.
It's kisses and cuddles and flavour of the week one minute - which leaves you feeling absurdly privileged.
Then rudely ignoring you the next - so you wonder if your voice is accidentally on 'mute'.
Looking straight through you when you're speaking, 'Whatever' writ large upon bored faces.
It's rarely doing what they're told, and never coming when you call.
Treating your friends with disrespect, just when you want them to be their charming best.
Foul language and gutter manners amongst their peer group.
Going off without leave and coming back if and when they feel like, invariably losing some item you will have to replace in the process.
It's raiding the larder the moment your back is turned, devouring all the good bits and leaving everything in a mess.
It's a trashed bed like a a fleapit you can only be thankful you never have to sleep in.
Filthy feet traipsed through the house.
Any liquid refreshment sloshed everywhere.
Your accessories 'borrowed' and never returned...

Recognise any of these symptoms?

Fortunately, it's only a phase.

And fortunately we love them, so we just repeat ourselves when ignored, coax even harder, are simply relieved when they finally turn up, write off the borrowed items, and - in between - mop, hoover and clean up as necessary.

Fortunately I've been there, done that and - as they say - bought the t-shirt.

I must say, I wasn't expecting to have to do it all over again, but there you go.
I keep telling myself she can't help it. It's just her age and stage.
Look how affectionate she can be.
Look how beautiful she is.
Look how sweet she can be when she feels like.
One day it will all be worth it.
And in the meantime, I'll just keep loving her and hoping for the best.
After all, she is very special.
She's a SuperModel.

Teen Queen


And in the meantime, joy of joys, one of my gorgeous French boys has returned for a visit!
Hurray, hurray!


11 comments:

  1. Hello Lorely:
    We were, as might be expected, taken in completely right up until the wonderful image unfolded at the end. And all the time, whilst reading, thinking that we could never have coped, that there are blessings to be had in not having children, and then recalling the dreadful behaviour of friends' teenage children and considering all the stress and worry which they, as parents, went through.

    A wonderful post!!

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    1. Thank you, elegant duo! Yes, teen stuff can be a bit of a nightmare, but worth it, so worth it, when they come out the other end. It is funny to recognise these identical symptoms in our new addition. She is a sweet dog, but hasn't lived either indoors or as part of a family until she went into foster care. But every day is making a difference...

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  2. wonderful post!

    bad doggie! good doggie! sit! stay! run! eat! no, don't eat that!

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  3. A really funny piece! Fortunately our canine teen has grown up and our human teen has passed the tiresome stage (fingers crossed).

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    1. We are hoping it will soon be a thing of the past too! Never were more cat biscuits expended in the cause of education (they are off-limits, so a real treat!) but the bribery is gradually working...!

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  4. I wasn't sure what to expect at the end of you post, but I identify. MasterB has been un ado almost from the moment I brought him home. Demanding isn't in it. But we love them, with their uncontrolled, lost and arrogant ways. They will emerge too soon as adults an dew will regret their youth.

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