Today, Spootie turned 13. Yes... we are now officially mothering a 13 year old female. Can you tell me where I sign up for that unlimited supply of valium for myself? Now I should say that there are some wonderful qualities and attributes that my daughter holds as her own. She is a sensitive and creative spirit and she does value her friendships. She has a really good sense of humor and is a fabulous musician. However, I have noticed that she has also developed this almost "Sybil" like multi-personality switch that frightens us and small animals in the vicinity. It's not that there's a sudden transformation on this day - it's been coming for a while. However, NOW that she's officially hit 13, she can tell me that she's a TEENager and not a PREteen and that she has a right to some autonomy. Autonomy?
au·ton·o·my
1 : the quality or state of being self-governing; especially : the right of self-government (I laugh at this... this is not something that's really debatable... the government in this household is a DICTATORSHIP. You don't get to govern anything until you leave.)
2 : self-directing freedom and especially moral independence (I laugh at this too: MORAL independence? When she shows me that she can discern that most of the music videos she watches are soft-porn dance shows then I will consider that she has some morality to be independent with.)
3 : a self-governing state (see my laughter from definition 1.)
Now, don't get me wrong. I do believe that there are certain things that a child turning 13 will need some "independent" thought about... or at least I should allow her to think that it is independent thought. Whether or not she does her homework is fully her choice. So are the consequences of her choice. There are some things that I won't give her autonomy on: piercings and tattoos come to mind. She can decide if she's going to eat one of the meals I cook. I even give her a choice here: "Do you want mashed potatoes or baked potatoes?" Of course, the fact that there is a family vote may impact what ends up on the plate.
She has taken to rolling her eyes at me. She also feels she has the right to take certain tones in her voice. I suppose there are those who say that she learns by example. Okay - I concede that there are times that I have used sarcastic tones and so I get that back now. Just now she thought I wasn't looking and she did the little head-bob, mockery thing... you know, when they pretend that they are you and interpret your instruction or correction with scrunched up noses and bobbing heads and the occasional hand gestures of a duck beak going "Quack Quack". I try to ignore those... I don't need anymore grey hair.
So happy 13th birthday, daughter. Now, we have 6 more years to go before you can legally challenge my decisions adult-to-adult. Sigh.
God help us.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Sunday, February 06, 2005
I Took A Quiz... or two...
You scored as Verbal/Linguistic. You have highly developed auditory skills, enjoy reading and writing and telling stories, and are good at getting your point across. You learn best by saying and hearing words. People like you include poets, authors, speakers, attorneys, politicians, lecturers and teachers.
The Rogers Indicator of Multiple Intelligences created with QuizFarm.com |
You scored as Fall. You are FALL. You appreciate all that you have, and are willing to share with others. You are a friend in the truest sense of the word, and can easily focus your attention on those who need you, placing yourself on the back burner. You make sure your responsibilites are met before you allow yourself 'free time'.
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Friday, February 04, 2005
Senility
My mother sent this to me in an e-mail... I wonder if she's trying to tell me something...
THE SENILITY PRAYER
God grant me the senility
to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
TWP - 01/31/05 - FIRST
Oh my... Nobody has posted anything to this week's Creative Theme, so I guess I'm FIRST!
When we think of the concept of being FIRST, it usually connotes a good thing. There is honor in the term. FIRST Place, FIRST Prize, FIRST Lady, FIRST Violin in the orchestra. Being "Number One". Nobody really wants to be last (unless it's like, "Last Man Standing" which usually translates into being first place in a contest). Nobody cares about who came in second (even if they missed being first by a nanosecond or microscopic margin of measurement). Being first also implies some sort of courageous or adventurous spirit. First to scale a mountain, first swim the English Channel... I don't know if I'd ever have the gumption to be first at anything noteworthy. There are different philosophies to going or not going first. I think I'd go first to get it over with. I might go first if I knew the outcome would be generally pleasurable: first into the carton of Haagen Daz or Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Of course, that Biblical dictum "...first shall be last and last shall be first" really throws me for a loop.
When we think of the concept of being FIRST, it usually connotes a good thing. There is honor in the term. FIRST Place, FIRST Prize, FIRST Lady, FIRST Violin in the orchestra. Being "Number One". Nobody really wants to be last (unless it's like, "Last Man Standing" which usually translates into being first place in a contest). Nobody cares about who came in second (even if they missed being first by a nanosecond or microscopic margin of measurement). Being first also implies some sort of courageous or adventurous spirit. First to scale a mountain, first swim the English Channel... I don't know if I'd ever have the gumption to be first at anything noteworthy. There are different philosophies to going or not going first. I think I'd go first to get it over with. I might go first if I knew the outcome would be generally pleasurable: first into the carton of Haagen Daz or Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Of course, that Biblical dictum "...first shall be last and last shall be first" really throws me for a loop.