Blogging About Teens, Tweens: Walking Contradictions in the Term Mom Bloggers Unite!
I can't believe that Hopey's 7, going on the Go Go's!
Last week, there was some backtalk at BlogHer on blogging about teens and, well, seeing as I happen to be raising 2 of them (teens, I mean) along with a couple of other kids, whose names and ages escape me at the moment, I thought...about DANGED time...because, it's not just me.
My friends Jenn and Busy Mom were also speaking up and I, for one, am really sick (and tired) about how some folks (you know, the ones who think they know everything) believe moms with teenagers are just itching for good blog fodder...DANGIT...as we, undoubtedly, have nothing to say, or worthwhile to add to this (or, any) conversation...about our DANGED kids!
Well, then, my friend Melisa, I hate to be the one tell you this, but you ARE a walking contradiction!
Excuse me, while my Joizey comes out, but are you tawkin' to me? Of cawse you are. I got staw-rees that would make even my gran-muthuh go all, like, you go girl!
[clears throat]
Becawse...[cough]...beeee-cause, I have always tried to be very careful about the stories I share (regardless of my children's ages) and mindful of whether (or, not) my words will hurt, or embarrass my family (or, the people reading our story) in any way.
Still. I'm not perfect. There is always someone ready, willing and very able to prove me wrong and that someone is almost always...one of my kids.
This is one of those stories.
My two oldest decide to call an emergency dress rehearsal, an hour before we have to leave for the Lip Sync Show.
They've been practicing for weeks. Months, it seems like, really. Yet, this was the first time that my 13 and 15 year-old daughter's volunteered to help their baby sister's group, The Go Go's, put-together an act and lip sync to the 1986 hit, "We Got the Beat!"
By this time, we were ALL getting pretty tired of trying to, you know, get the beat.
"Okay, you guys...one...more...time!"
Still. I was pretty surprised...no, wait...AMAZED, actually...that Holly and Heather, being teenagers, would even care about what anyone thought, let alone helping a bunch of 7 and 8-year-olds learn a song that their mother (psssst...that would be me) chose for them to sing.
"AWESOME; time for hair and makeup!"
I mean, the girls really got into it and all I had to do was, you know, drive.
"You, shoo-wuh?"
Gosh, but I love Jersey.
"Yeah, my girls are really enjoying this!"
Aaaaand, they were. The other 3 moms kept checking, though. Me, too. Honestly, if you were to ask me a 6 years ago? I would have volunteered to sing, dance and do a couple of magic tricks, if need be, to pull off a performance that was as close to the real thing, as possible.
In fact, I did.
"Don't worry mom, we got this!"
Aaaaand, I'd do it all again, if it meant not having to do, you know, anything else, but drive them there (and back) you betcha'!
"Hey Liz, you can tell it's your 4th kid."
2 1/2 hours later (UGH!) it was time for Act 26 (I know!) I turned my head slightly to look over my right shoulder and remembered that Jane's youngest was also in the show.
"How's that?"
[ big toothy grin]
"Easy, no pictures, no camera, no nuthin'!"
No, her kid wasn't in our act. Still. Our oldest girls went to elementary school, together. So, she knows. She was also right.
"Yeah, only because I don't have a camera."
Aaaaand sorta of wrong, too.
"But...I...have...a...Flip!"
So, I fired that little sucker up and was proud that I remembered to record my youngest daughter's willingness to please her oldest sisters and totally get over her stage fright:
Aaaaand, then about halfway through, the camera died.
"AH CRAP, THE MEMORY'S FULL!"
Morale of the Story: Aaaaand, that, my friends, is EXACTLY why I blog. Because, in the end, I hope my kids understand (no matter their age) I'm ALSO making stuff up, as I go go [sorry!] but, now that they're getting older, I'm beginning to see that there is a whole lot left we STILL have to learn, from each other.
"So, how'd it feel to be up on stage?"
Personally, just like ALL of my mom blogging counterparts, I strive to be a walking contradiction in terms.
"That was totally WICKED!"
Or, something like that.
"Heather and I wanna do it again, next year!"
Take that, you frickin' Blogging Scholars!
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