Friday, April 16, 2010

Pre-Teen Progress

Having a house full of pre-teens is fun.

Well, full might not be the right word. So maybe I better try again....

Having two pre-teens in the house is fun.

Its true.

Although we are testing waters in eye rolling, sulkiness, and always getting the last word, there are good parts too.

Like the fact that they are learning to be humorously clever.

If you are a mama who is stuck in the made-up knock-knock jokes phase  - there is hope!

Eventually they will stop telling the same nonsense knock-knock jokes over and over again. They will actually tell jokes and stories that are witty and fun to hear. You will actually laugh... for real.

Or how about when you are on the phone and the kids suddenly realize it prime time to ask you for something they want, in hopes that you're too distracted to notice?

Well that... oh wait... that still happens.

Sorry, can't lie.

But, take heart, eventually instead of following you (and the person you're talking to) from room to room  trying to wear you down, the natives get savvy. They learn that often the key to getting what they want is to change the strategy.

For instance, several nights ago while I was on the phone, my son handed me a white note-card and a pen. The note card read:



Apparently I was supposed to write back an emphatic YES! on the card and hand it back to him.

But....I-was-on-the-phone.

So I ignored him. 

I did tell him later that I thought his poem was cute. 

Only it wasn't "supposed to be cute."

It made me happy though, not because I am as sweet as a rose, but because I am seeing progress.

Progress may not always look the way I want it to look - Or won't leave me to talk in peace - but its a sign that they are growing up.

I love them so.

13 comments:

Tanya (In the Dailies) said...

This makes me smile. First, because of his adorable, manipulative poem, but also because I CAN. NOT. WAIT. for the absurd knock-knock jokes to end. :)

Anonymous said...

hehe atleast he tried to flatter a little before asking for something ;-)

Amber said...

I still have to suffer through:

--What do you call a boy with red hair?
--A guitar!

Ugh.
I don't want my babies to grow up, but I won't miss the jokes.

Precious note!

Rebecca said...

I'm not looking forward to the eye rolling but I will be glad to get out of the silly joke phase...

O Mom said...

I have no pre-teens right now.
I do have 1 full blown eye rolling teen, and 1 who just left the knock knock faze, and 1 right in the middle of discovering her knock knock talents.
That note though, funny, but good!

Becca @ My Crazy Good Life said...

Have you been spying on me this week?

Because the knock-knock jokes and the following Mom around the house while she's on the phone?
That happens every day.

SO glad there's a light.

Elizabeth said...

I never thought I'd say this, but I love having a pre-teen in the house. Sure, there's the drama sometimes, but the energy and fun she brings to our house (much like the 2-year old) is so great! I am convinced that the teen years will be even better.

lisa@littlesliceoflife said...

I'm laughing because I can so relate. I have a teen and pre-teen and I often find notes like that stuck on my coffeepot or left on my pillow.

Carpool Queen said...

I was just thinking the other day about the fun conversations (REAL ONES) that I'm starting to have with the kids.

I love that a) they are jokesters and b) they think I'm funny. It's like having my own built in audience.

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

How sweet!

My kids would probably bypass the note and help themselves to a bowl of ice cream. They know they're supposed to ask first, but they're also very clever and don't miss a beat because they've heard me say (a little too often) that sometimes it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

OY!

(By the way, this is all hypothetical of course. Ha!)

Sandy said...

Remember ALL of those phases! And love CPQ'S realizing that she has her own "built in audience who thinks she is funny." You get to enjoy that again with grandchildren... and they are really fun!

Gretchen said...

I love that boy! You might've given him more ice cream if he'd have said you were as cuddly & fierce as a bantha. ;)

Thank you for reminding me that my kids are works in progress--no different than me. Except often, they are quicker on the uptake than I am. Lurve u madly.

Unknown said...

Such a sweet post, Momma! After reading posts about preteens with the usual "how to survive," your post is so refreshing. I think there is much to be cherished at every stage of our kid's lives, even if it includes eye rolling. I don't want to miss stopping to savor every age. I don't think I enjoyed some earlier years of my son as much as I should have and don't want to continue to miss out. We are equipping ourselves so we know what to expect in these preteen/tween/middle school years. Maybe if I expect it, I can savor it more. We've been reading a great new book that we are really excited about, so I just have to share. It's called "MiddleSchool: The Inside Story- What Kids Tell Us, But Don't Tell You," by Cynthia Tobias and Sue Acuna. It has interviews and feedback from middle schoolers, parents and teachers (and a little humor)- everything from puberty to technology and deepening and strengthening positive, loving relationship. I highly recommend it! http://www.tyndale.com/Middle-School-The-Inside-Story/9781589977778#.U8R_Gl4Q7wI