He Thinks He’s An Adult Now
That’s a bit of an exaggeration but Dex is 11.5 – apparently the exact age that pushes a child (mine, at least) from tween peckishness to full on tween angst. He’s a great kid. He’ll be a great kid through his teen years and into adulthood. I have full faith in that. He’s just entering that time when he is becoming his own person and most importantly, separating from us. Part of that separation includes thinking he knows everything and thinking we are annoying, weird, and embarrassing.
Clearly, we have always been annoying, weird and embarrassing. He is just finally realizing it’s a bad thing.
During our trip to California this week, there has been a bunch of eye-rolling and pouting. Mainly when things didn’t go exactly his way at exactly the right moment. Part of this I get just as a human being, it’s hard to pull off a long day at say, Disney, and the rollercoaster of emotions (wait, go, wait, go!) that accompany these things. But part of it is just the selfishness that comes from being a teenager. This is all new to us because Dex is one of the least selfish people we know. Perhaps he was just saving it all up?
Dex really wanted to visit a Japanese market while we were in LA. For months I tried to figure out what market and kept explaining how big this area is. He really didn’t follow up on it, so I put little effort into it myself. Until of course, he was very upset that I had not been listening to him about “the Japanese market.” You know. THE one.
I explained how much effort I take in planning our trips. Basically the spiel about how with great power comes great responsibility and I am happy to add places he wants to go, but I can’t pull them out of the air. He didn’t like that very much, but I think he had a better understanding of the prep work before a trip and that we really want to incorporate “his” things too – even when they come from some random YouTube video of a girl eating foaming Japanese candy.
I remember how hard it was growing up. Middle school sucked.
I guess I just never thought about how hard it was for my mom too.
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Oh gosh, those tween and teen years. Moments of horrid pain followed closely by moments of esquisite sweetness. They’re so eager to grow up and be adults, and then also, so eager to still be your baby and have you take care of them. My daughter turned 18 last weekend, so now here she is, a legal adult, though not really an adult in so many ways. Not ready to move out and have a job and support herself, but old enough to pierce her nose and resent us for controlling her life. She’s a good kid, and she will turn out fine. And like you, these years have made me appreciate and understand my own mother a bit more.
18! I can’t even wrap my head around that yet! But you are so right about the rollercoaster.
Totally with you sister. We have good days and bad days.
It’s been wild watching all his stages in your site!
I know – almost 10 years now!
Hang in there in a few years you shall be the most brilliant, wisest person they know. They’ll even tell other people that.
Crossing my fingers!
I loved the teen years but I remember how difficult they can be. They test their boundaries so often through those years. I imagine you handle it well.
Thanks you lady! 🙂
He is growing up fast!
OMG BEEN THERE