Is it only mine?

Okay, those with the teenage crew can weigh in here (DF, MEH, and the like), but is it me? Saturdays for this working mom are fraught with errands and things to do to close out one week and open up another. For example, yesterday we went shopping for a new mattress (the one we are on is the Cadet's old one, ours in Lville was a king and didn't make the trip with us as it was almost 20 years old), hit the post office, hit Wally World, hit the library to return books, hit the bank, ran through a few furniture stores (looking for furniture for the barracks lounge) - you know - the usual.

During the King's nap, the Cadet took off for the movies with a friend who lives on campus, then came back and went out to dinner and on another shopping excursion with us. He then proclaimed (at 8:30 p.m.!) "I am bored. There is nothing to do. Can we go somewhere?? Like Pokhagen? " [Pokhagen is an hour away, and the toboggan run closes at 10). Um NO!.

Is it just me? Didn't we just spend all day doing "Something"? Am I that old that I can't remember that teens have this earthly desire to run around all night?

Comments

Carol P. said…
Um, OK, I'm not qualified to talk as the parent of a teen, but....

I think your memory is kaput or the cadet takes after other members of the family. Sorry, lil sis!

I completely, totally, and utterly credit L and D and R with saving my sanity and getting me out of the house "doing something." Getting me away from the obnoxious little sister, for example (A.Hem. You're welcome to stop by any time you'd like now, and I won't try to escape. I promise.). And just getting me out of the house when the walls seemed too small.

Even if I'd gone grocery shopping and to KMart and Lions and LaSalles and Bargain City and a run into the drug store too. I had what was called go-itis, so I was willing to go anywhere and do anything. The mall? The sporting goods store? The auto parts store to ogle the car stereos (yes, DF, with you, when you had the blue Nova). Secor park to walk M's dog while L and M smooched? I'm there, even in winter. Cheering on siblings at sports events, even when they're just umpiring? Damn betcha!

And even after a full day of errands and chores and school work, I could still be bored and ready to go.

Pokhagon sounds good to me. I never got to try out the toboggan run there because the time our GS troop went, it was in the -20s and we weren't allowed out. So instead, we put together skits. I still remember the song, "Pokagon... Pokagon.... Ain't we got fun?" that somebody made up.

Hang in there, and remember, if he's bored, there's probably some chore or other he could do. Or remind him that "only boring people are bored..."

Oh, and thanks again D and R and L!
DF said…
I have 2 teenage children (but only for another month and a half) that must be on the go at all hours of the day or night. It is even better if it is after 11:30PM.

But with both of them living away, C is stuck by rules of the school and A has people coming and going all night long to her dorm room, soooo, K and I do not see it until they come home.

At least they generally have each other to go places and do things.
meh said…
Yes Jo, we are stuck at that age where we "go" all day and then they want to "go" all night. Of course, mine know better than to use the "B" word or they get handed the vacuum or a mop or - gasp - the laundry! I have taken to given warnings on the way home from a day like yours, "WARNING: Mom is tired. Once we hit home, I am not going anywhere. Hence you are not going anywhere either. Friends can come over. That's it." Usually that works. well, sometimes.

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