Thursday, September 20, 2012

Getting Real

I haven't mentioned this for awhile, so some of you might not know or might not remember that I have two teenagers at home.  A while back, I was sitting at a group lunch with my coworkers talking with my boss about kids these days.  She said that the most challenging ages were 13 for girls and 17 for boys.  "Yippee", I thought, "I have one of each." 

Standing, as I often am, on the brink of losing my mind, it's been a really, really, really (REALLY!!!) challenging year or so.  People don't tell you that.  If you believe everything you read on Facebook, you'd think the world (or at least this part of West Texas) is populated with perfect kids and their perfect parents. (Note to self: Unfriend all those people.)

Being checked out by the dolphins in Hawaii this summer.
 
Today's poetic post is for all the imperfect parents and their equally imperfect progeny.
 
Teenagers

Teenager, teenager,
Smart as a whip
You can’t wait ‘til it’s time
For you to jump ship.
 
To take hold of your destiny;
Make your own way;
Be your own person;
Seize your own day.

But take it from me
Being grown up is hard.
It’s more than a valid
State ID card.
 
Along with your freedom
You pay bills and get bosses.
You get to pay taxes
And count stock market losses.

One day, you may have
a teenager, too.
And there’ll be no one dumber
Or more backward than you.
 
Then maybe you’ll come over
And give me a hug.
And tell me you’re grateful.
And I’ll try not to be smug.
 
For I once was also
A smarty pants teen
Who thought that my parents
Were nothing but mean.

Now I will stop,
So I don’t start to bug.
I need to go give
Your grandma a hug.
 
May the good Lord bless us today with infinite patience and infinite peace and may we share those things with all the people in our lives.
 
<3  Lori

20 comments:

  1. Ha! I'm going to copy it off and put it in my daughters lunch tomorrow!

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    1. That'd be great! I love to hear what she thinks. Or I could just go ahead and roll my eyes on her behalf. :)

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  2. I'm going to share this with my 17 year old son....that is if ever leaves his room.

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  3. Hilarious! My daughter is 11 and I'm so worried about the teenage years approaching in our house.

    Jill

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  4. You never cease to amaze me, Mizz Leissner! Definitely another one of your many talents! xo

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  5. Lori what an awesome poem! Love it!

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  6. Wonderful, Lori! Your boss was right on the money about the ages...those were the worst for us. I can remember when everyone would would fuss over babies, and I could barely look at them knowing they were just such innocent-looking teenager seeds!

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  7. Awesome! 2 thumbs up for my talented coworker and FRIEND!

    Jennifer O'Dell

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  8. I'm such a dork...this made me tear up! With actual tears- not ones of laughter. Always love your posts!

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  9. You are really good at writing poetry Lori!

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  10. I love your poem..... and can SO RELATE.

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