That was the response that Jennifer kept giving, as we asked her today (soon to be yesterday) if she was sure she didn't want a friend to tag along to the state b-ball finals in the t-dome tonight. Kentwood girls and Federal Way guys won! Go SKC. Now back from that outburst.
I teased her that my cutie wootie still must like spending time with good ol' mom and dad. She glared and promptly messed up my hair. But she still went with us and seemed to have a good time. I think she relaxed when she realized that none of her friends were there to see her sitting with mom and dad.
It was nice rooting for a team we used to boo when they met up against Auburn Senior High girls and boys. And I'm glad they both won.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Well, we'll just leave her behind
After 15 years, it feels good to say that frankly.
This weekend, GAry and I will probably catch some of the state b-ball action down at the t-dome. Jennifer, since Auburn isn't in, has not interest. So we'll just leave her at home.
And the same goes if we go to a movie she doesn't want to see, or a restaurant she suddenly "can't stand." We leave her at home.
Finally feels good to get to this point.
This weekend, GAry and I will probably catch some of the state b-ball action down at the t-dome. Jennifer, since Auburn isn't in, has not interest. So we'll just leave her at home.
And the same goes if we go to a movie she doesn't want to see, or a restaurant she suddenly "can't stand." We leave her at home.
Finally feels good to get to this point.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Have you tried smacking her?
Actually, I was saying don't hit your younger, bitchy, 14-year-old sister. That was my advice to my intern today, who was bemoaning the fact that the youngest girl in the family was about to top off her behavior with a spinning head. Or at least that's what her long suffering parents were thinking.
I told her to a certain extent, welcome to the world of a 14-year-old. Now, that said (as I was relaying this story to my daughter, she started to glare- "you didn't say I was like that did you!" No, actually, you weren't that bad..at least most of the time.)
But some girls do in fact turn into secretive (this young woman only talks to her parents in grunts and glares), snarky, sarcastic beings, who feel ALL adults (anyone over 20) are idiots. They seems to wake up from this alien abduction at about 16 or 17, maybe even as late as 19 (when they figure out who is paying for college).
I told my intern after listening sympathetically to the snarkiness her mom was taking, to tell her mom to stop taking it. For now, she's going to have to be the bad guy and tell her daughter "You might not like me but you..will...not..treat...me...this...way" And come up with some reasonable consequences if she doesn't. As I said, slapping her is not an option, although that's what my bro threatened to do when I told my mom to shut up at 13. Yeah, didn't do that again.
And putting her out on the street to starve is not a good idea either. So I suggest hit her where it really hurts. Take away texting privileges. Otherwise, you might get a few women I have in my life who were never told "no" or made to behave. Believe me, at 50, it's no longer cute.
I told her to a certain extent, welcome to the world of a 14-year-old. Now, that said (as I was relaying this story to my daughter, she started to glare- "you didn't say I was like that did you!" No, actually, you weren't that bad..at least most of the time.)
But some girls do in fact turn into secretive (this young woman only talks to her parents in grunts and glares), snarky, sarcastic beings, who feel ALL adults (anyone over 20) are idiots. They seems to wake up from this alien abduction at about 16 or 17, maybe even as late as 19 (when they figure out who is paying for college).
I told my intern after listening sympathetically to the snarkiness her mom was taking, to tell her mom to stop taking it. For now, she's going to have to be the bad guy and tell her daughter "You might not like me but you..will...not..treat...me...this...way" And come up with some reasonable consequences if she doesn't. As I said, slapping her is not an option, although that's what my bro threatened to do when I told my mom to shut up at 13. Yeah, didn't do that again.
And putting her out on the street to starve is not a good idea either. So I suggest hit her where it really hurts. Take away texting privileges. Otherwise, you might get a few women I have in my life who were never told "no" or made to behave. Believe me, at 50, it's no longer cute.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Popping the clutch 101
On the way home from the mall, Jennifer pleaded: comm'on,just let me try before I have to drive with dad.
Okay, okay. So we found an industrial parking lot off the West Valley Highway, and she had her first lesson on driving a clutch. We killed the car about 5 or 6 times, before she got to actually point it in the right direction and make it go a few feet, before it died again. But on that happy note, I figured she was ready to try with Gary.
So fast forward when we went out to Ivar's tonight. Gary immediately noticed the driver's side seat was cranked forward, and he'd lost the claim to being the "first" to teach Jennifer. No matter, he drove into the elementary school parking lot to give her lesson #2.
Actually, it went pretty well. He told her out to adjust the mirrors (I'd forgotten that) and how to turn on the blinkers (um, didn't tell her about that either). And then he taught her reverse, which I'd skipped too. But I think getting to get the car to go ANY direction was a boost to her confidence, because she was actually able to get the honda civic to go forward, around and around at 8mph before killing it a few more times for good measure.
Gary did well, better than expected actually. And Jennifer can't wait for the next lesson...with dad.
Okay, okay. So we found an industrial parking lot off the West Valley Highway, and she had her first lesson on driving a clutch. We killed the car about 5 or 6 times, before she got to actually point it in the right direction and make it go a few feet, before it died again. But on that happy note, I figured she was ready to try with Gary.
So fast forward when we went out to Ivar's tonight. Gary immediately noticed the driver's side seat was cranked forward, and he'd lost the claim to being the "first" to teach Jennifer. No matter, he drove into the elementary school parking lot to give her lesson #2.
Actually, it went pretty well. He told her out to adjust the mirrors (I'd forgotten that) and how to turn on the blinkers (um, didn't tell her about that either). And then he taught her reverse, which I'd skipped too. But I think getting to get the car to go ANY direction was a boost to her confidence, because she was actually able to get the honda civic to go forward, around and around at 8mph before killing it a few more times for good measure.
Gary did well, better than expected actually. And Jennifer can't wait for the next lesson...with dad.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Packing away childhood to the goodwill
At least it felt like that as Jennifer hauled out about a dozen bags of clothes, toys, Beanie Babies (remember those?), shoes, old notebooks, pencils, pens, glue and tut-cluck-amen.
The last item is the sarcophagus that I worked on until midnight one night when she was in the 7th grade, and the teacher was helping them embalm a foster fryer we'd purchased from Top Foods. Don't really know what happened to that, except it sat in our fridge turning more and more, mummified. But then again, there were a few bottles of salad dressing, chinese leftovers and salsa that was in the same state.
I think we tossed the chicken, but we kept the box (I'd put too much effort into that). There was a rock that was painted. I also plucked from the pile a jump rope, a Girl Scout bag and I think my hubby salvaged a pair of shoes, a couple of b-balls and v-balls and the clothes that we could resell to Plato's Closet.
I don't know what he did with the Beanie Babies, but I've taken all the kid's books. Most of this is going to work with me (to stuff into my already cluttered office). The rest will probably end up in a box in the garage.
The last item is the sarcophagus that I worked on until midnight one night when she was in the 7th grade, and the teacher was helping them embalm a foster fryer we'd purchased from Top Foods. Don't really know what happened to that, except it sat in our fridge turning more and more, mummified. But then again, there were a few bottles of salad dressing, chinese leftovers and salsa that was in the same state.
I think we tossed the chicken, but we kept the box (I'd put too much effort into that). There was a rock that was painted. I also plucked from the pile a jump rope, a Girl Scout bag and I think my hubby salvaged a pair of shoes, a couple of b-balls and v-balls and the clothes that we could resell to Plato's Closet.
I don't know what he did with the Beanie Babies, but I've taken all the kid's books. Most of this is going to work with me (to stuff into my already cluttered office). The rest will probably end up in a box in the garage.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Homework, dishes
Jennifer's doing homework again, and probably will be until 9 pm tonight. So I'll probably end up doing the dishes again.
I remember that somehow, when I was a teenager, I managed to do both. I'm trying to decide if she has more homework or I'm just a softer touch than my mom was. Probably a mixture of both.
I remember that somehow, when I was a teenager, I managed to do both. I'm trying to decide if she has more homework or I'm just a softer touch than my mom was. Probably a mixture of both.
Monday, February 23, 2009
If I see anyone in here, I'm leaving
So said the daughter as we entered Plato's Closet near Southcenter mall in Tukwila. Think Nordy's Rack for the teen set.
And actually they take this a step farther and will pay you for new and gently used clothes a la the Hollister, AE, Forever XXI and the rest. Jennifer got $30 out of the deal on Saturday, and went back and bought jeans at $15 each (that would normally cost $40 or more each) on Sunday. I also convinced her to at least LOOK at the Vans, and the shirts. She didn't find anything she liked, but at least she wasn't looking to see if anyone was looking at her.
Since she was spending her own $$ for once, she was more interested in keeping as much as she could in her own wallet (since I made it clear I wasn't going to fund this trip.)
And actually they take this a step farther and will pay you for new and gently used clothes a la the Hollister, AE, Forever XXI and the rest. Jennifer got $30 out of the deal on Saturday, and went back and bought jeans at $15 each (that would normally cost $40 or more each) on Sunday. I also convinced her to at least LOOK at the Vans, and the shirts. She didn't find anything she liked, but at least she wasn't looking to see if anyone was looking at her.
Since she was spending her own $$ for once, she was more interested in keeping as much as she could in her own wallet (since I made it clear I wasn't going to fund this trip.)
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