DS-12 is growing up and I’m not quite ready for it to happen.Last night he was called at 4 p.m. and told the Boy Scouts were going to a hockey game at 6 p.m.
He was kind of dragging his feet about going, but I knew he would have fun, so I encouraged him to go, gave him $5, (DH gave him money too) and sent him on his way.
Actually, I sent him out the door about three times, I’m sure you know how that goes.
5:53 p.m. ~ he left to walk to the neighbors who was in theory going to drive him to the church.
5:56 p.m. ~ he returned and asked DH to take him to the church. Neighbor was running behind schedule.
6:07 ~ he returned again to change into his Boy Scout shirt. Apparently he needed it to get in the door of the hockey game at a reduced price.
He was home a little after 10 p.m. with tales of exciting scoring and two fights, one real and one pretend.His school is sponsoring a sixth grade dance (I can’t say I’m on board with the idea, but they didn’t ask me, did they?)
The other night we had a long conversation about popularity and morality and the chances that one could be both.
Truth to tell, DS-12 does not have the stuff that makes one popular. I think he is handsome, but he doesn’t like to play sports and he is way to analytical / logical to play those flirty courtship games of 12-year-olds.
Rather, he observes and finds the whole courtship dance somewhat ludicrous.
The boy is very confident, perhaps too confident in some ways, but he just doesn’t get the whole social game.
He comes by it honestly. I am a born introvert. My newspaper background has helped me chat up strangers as if I am interviewing them, but it certainly isn’t my natural instinct to strike up a conversation.
His father confesses he was a wall flower while in school, too.
DS-12 is bright enough to know the whole teen-age angst won’t last forever. But it sill puzzles and saddens him sometimes.
It saddens me too. I wish there was some way I could send him to a school where everyone shared his same values, if not his quirky personality. But I can’t. And he has too learn the same way I did, that being cool is more than fitting in, it’s being comfortable with yourself.
Maybe some day I'll be cool, too
2 comments:
YOU ARE SOOOO COOL!!!
Take it from me! I'm cool, too!!
(and so are you L!!)
C'mon...you know it!
It is a universally acknowledged fact that popularity at ages 12-14 is dangerous and only indirectly related to future health and happiness unless parents and kids get a little crazy. I've seen this kiddy popularity game for enough years to know that these are the years for building character, not a long list of giggly telephone calls and puppy loves. You have a pretty level head, so I suspect DS 12 will be fine. (I do not mean to imply head misshapenness in any way. Either yours or his.)
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