Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Raising my dramatic teenage son, life is wonderful.

My son recently turned 15 years old.  Like a good mother, I took him to the overcrowded DMV on his birthday.  He did pass both test and got his permit.  I was very happy for him, but on the inside I was freaking out with the thoughts of him driving me around Orlando.  It's not so much of him driving as it is the way other people drive in Orlando.  And trying to explain that to a teenager isn't so easy.  Every time we go for a drive, which has been everyday since he got his permit, I try to point out what other drivers are doing wrong and teach him some street smarts that the DMV manuals don't teach.  Take today for instance, we're leaving the 7-11 and a city bus stops to let him pull out onto the road.  I tell my son that the bus is leaving space for him to go so, go ahead and pull out and wave thanks.  Another time I ask him about his speed and he tells me he's going 32 in a 30 mph zone and says most people go 40 mph here.  I say well that doesn't make it right.  We take the long way home of course, which is fine.   We arrive home and I tell my husband it took longer because Kyle, our son, wanted to practice driving.  I'm thinking that my son and I had a nice little drive.  Then I over hear my son telling my husband how I was screaming at him while he was driving.  I hear this and immediately ask him what he's talking about.  I know I didn't scream at my son while he's driving me around in a large SUV and I'm already having trouble breathing, ha ha.  It seems to me that if you correct a teenager or say something they don't want to hear, then you are known as the adult that's freaking out or screaming.  Is this normal?  I hear the same thing from a lot of my son's friends about their parents or teachers and I suspect they are exaggerating just a bit or maybe a lot.  I have a hunch there's a lot of mom's that can relate to my life with a teenager.  I love my baby boy more than anything and that is what keeps me from pulling all my hair out...LOL!   

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