Friday 8 April 2011

The Curse of the Lounging Teenagers

There is no school today....so Isaac is home.  Cameron has no classes at university on Friday....so he is home....and he brought his girlfriend....so she is here.  I, on the other hand, do not have a day off, herein lies the problem.

They have been laying on the couches, watching movies...ALL DAY....or should I say most of the day since they didn't get out of bed UNTIL NOON!  Now I know that "you are only young once"and they are just "doing what teenagers do"...and at least I "know where they are"....yeah, they are in my house, messing it up and eating everything!  So far today from the evidence I see in the kitchen they made; instant oatmeal, tomato soup, ate the left-over fajitas...and mango salsa from last night's supper, and finished off all the milk and juice.  

It's a beautiful sunny day (though they would never know it) and the dog would really like someone to take him for a walk.  I keep walking through the tv room suggesting that they maybe should go out in the sun....but so far the third viewing of "Get Him to the Greek" has them riveted.  Why do I feel like they should "go outside"?  Like somehow I am a bad mother if I let them lay around all day?  Won't it be liberating when you only have to worry about your own: exercise, diet, health, amount of hours spent outside?  Have you ever seen the list "Stuff White People Like"?  If you haven't, google it and read it.  It is hilarious, number 9 on the list is "being outside".  

When the boys were younger of course it was so much easier to make sure they were eating healthy foods, watching age-appropriate movies, getting enough exercise, but now they are 16 and 19, I think it's time to take a break.  And frankly, I need it.  Is this a mother thing?  I don't think my husband loses any sleep worrying about the lack of leafy greens we've eaten this week.  In fact when I was freaking out about our oldest not having a job yet for the summer the conversation went something like this;

Me:  If Cameron doesn't get a job soon all the other university students will have all the jobs and he won't have any money to put gas in his car and pay part of his tuition for the fall and then he will have to get a really big student loan and then after he graduates from university he will be saddled with huge payments and he will have a depressing life where he never gets ahead and it will be terrible......

Husband:  Well I have a job, and I don't have a student loan so I'm not going to worry about it...he'll be fine he's just doing what teenagers do...

And that my friends is why I have an ulcer....and my husband does not.  

1 comment:

  1. I am exactly the same way...I always want my boys to get outside! My husband is so chill about what my boys do, but not me. I worry constantly about their veggies, exercise, etc. I thought when they were this old it would be easier. Ha. So. not. true.

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