Surviving the teen years...

I truly hope that you did not open today's blog in the hopes of gleaning any helpful hints with regards to raising teenagers. There is little likelihood of any such material appearing in these passages, but since I never really know how this blog ends up until it does, who knows, there may be a pearl or two.

I have 2 teens at home, one 17 year old girl, one 15 year old boy. Life for me is in a constant state of free fall it seems. As they grow up, I find that I am needed less for advice and guidance, and more for sustenance and transportation. "Feed me, clothe me, take me somewhere" these are the needs of today's teenager. Even "clothe me" is evolving to become  "take me shopping, because I will not wear what you buy for me".  I grew up in hand-me-downs from 2 older cousins. Not entirely of course but the mentality of the time was you wore what your parents bought you and did not complain. Today, a teen in school is practically excommunicated from society if his/her clothing does not bear the proper labels. Hollister, Aeropostale, Abercrombie, Echo, etc.  You are a second class citizen if you show up in Walmart's Faded Glory brands or Heaven forbid, Old Navy. I remember getting my first IZOD sweater, with the little gator on it. I bought it with money from my first job and was so proud of it. My image however was irredeemable in high school because of the fashion faux pas I had unwittingly made over the years, among other things.

I had of course committed every sin against coolness that a high schooler can make. I FOUNDED the computer club at Hampton Bays Jr-Sr High with Mrs. Gladys Meschutt. I was on Mike Terry's Audio Visual Squad. I was in 4 years of band and sang for awhile in chorus.  Cool or uncool, those experiences made me who I am today.  I still retain my savvy for computers and other electronics and music is still a driving force in my life, but I digress, this was supposed to be about raising teens.

I guess what I am driving at is that if we , Generation X'ers or whatever the hell they call us, were pigeon-holed into cliques when we were kids, then OUR children have it at least twice as bad today. I weep for tomorrow's generation unless we, the adults of today, remind our kids of what is most important in life. Clothes do not make the man. It is not what you have , but what you are that matters, and you project what you are most effectively in the way you treat others. Don't cast judgement on anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes, because in the end..... you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes! Be Blessed!