Today was a big day at our house. Brad took the drivers test and HE PASSED! He now has his lerners permit and I now have the HUGE respsonsibility of teaching him how to drive. I really am very nervous and I'm not quite sure that I am ready for this! I feel way too young to have a child that is old enough to drive. I feel way to young to have a child that is old enough to go to high school. It has been kind of wierd to drive him to the "social" events like football games and "spirit week" and just drop him off, knowing he will call from his cell phone when he is ready to come back home. I have been trying to recall these same events from my teenage years, the years that formed me and molded me into who I am today. I had so much fun in High School, I had such great friends and I learned so much from my experiences during those few years. I hope that he, too, will have good friends and great experiences. I hope he won't roll his eyes when I tell him "remember who you are" or "be home at pumpkin time" (that's midnight for those of you that didn't grow up in my house) I hope that he will understand when his dad and I want to meet his friends before they go out. I hope that he will always bring his dates by our house so that we can meet them. I hope that he will be responsible and trustworthy. I hope that he will be the friend who stands up for someone that is being left out or picked on. I hope that he will always look for the good in other people and that he will be liked and accepted. My hopes for him and the reality of raising a teenager might be two very different things and I know that there will be disappointments. But I think that as parents, if we raise the bar and expect more from our kids, that they will rise to that expectation. There have been MANY times in the past 15 years that I have seriously questioned my parenting and have felt so inadequate, wondering if I was doing the right thing or if I was scarring them for life. But after my reflection today I have accepted that I have to let him grow up and learn all of those great and not-so-great things about being a teenager. I just hope that speeding tickets or running red lights won't be among the first things that he learns! I don't know if I can handle that...I am much too young for this! 
Monday, September 17, 2007
Am I ready for this?
Today was a big day at our house. Brad took the drivers test and HE PASSED! He now has his lerners permit and I now have the HUGE respsonsibility of teaching him how to drive. I really am very nervous and I'm not quite sure that I am ready for this! I feel way too young to have a child that is old enough to drive. I feel way to young to have a child that is old enough to go to high school. It has been kind of wierd to drive him to the "social" events like football games and "spirit week" and just drop him off, knowing he will call from his cell phone when he is ready to come back home. I have been trying to recall these same events from my teenage years, the years that formed me and molded me into who I am today. I had so much fun in High School, I had such great friends and I learned so much from my experiences during those few years. I hope that he, too, will have good friends and great experiences. I hope he won't roll his eyes when I tell him "remember who you are" or "be home at pumpkin time" (that's midnight for those of you that didn't grow up in my house) I hope that he will understand when his dad and I want to meet his friends before they go out. I hope that he will always bring his dates by our house so that we can meet them. I hope that he will be responsible and trustworthy. I hope that he will be the friend who stands up for someone that is being left out or picked on. I hope that he will always look for the good in other people and that he will be liked and accepted. My hopes for him and the reality of raising a teenager might be two very different things and I know that there will be disappointments. But I think that as parents, if we raise the bar and expect more from our kids, that they will rise to that expectation. There have been MANY times in the past 15 years that I have seriously questioned my parenting and have felt so inadequate, wondering if I was doing the right thing or if I was scarring them for life. But after my reflection today I have accepted that I have to let him grow up and learn all of those great and not-so-great things about being a teenager. I just hope that speeding tickets or running red lights won't be among the first things that he learns! I don't know if I can handle that...I am much too young for this! 
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6 comments:
Woo Hoo! Go Brad! I'm sure he will be a stellar driver...it's in his blood. You have done a great job the last 15 years, and I'm sure he'll have a successful teenage-hood! Congrats. You have a child with I.D.!
This will be a dread no doubt. And the parenting, well you are not alone in your hopes. We teach them, we pray for them and then we keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best!
nice writing Jen. A "Day" I dread.
Congrats to Brad! Hang on for the ride, its a fun one. My eyes are teary as I read your blog this morning. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love how you are so articulate and say exactly what I am feeling in my own life. You are a gifted writer. You are going to blink and High School will be over. Enjoy it. You are an awesome mom! Keep us posted.
Jodi, you ARE way too young to have a teenager. I know, because I am too young, too!
Can't believe Brad is driving! I swear it was yesterday we drove to Salt Lake City and ran over the snake on the way home. Yesterday, I tell ya! Remember that?
Good luck. Take notes and let me know how to get through it so you can pass on the wisdom to me in a few!
Uh, this is really freaky actually. I'm staying off the roads! Oh by the way, if you need help with Peggle, I'm a Grand Master Champion. I've beaten everything there is to beat on it, hehe. It's been quite the addiction.
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