Well, I have to appreciate their candor—my son is the last to go through this stage of my three children and my older girls have moved through it and are into going to lunch, shopping or to a ballet with me again. My son, however, would rather be caught dead than caught out and about with him mom…
A few years ago when my eldest started down this teenage path I actually got my feelings hurt! It took some time for me to gain perspective and it wasn’t until my second daughter “rejected” me that I was able to get to a place where I didn’t take it so personally. My son still likes doing things with his dad, however, and I try not to think about that. His dad can take him to football games or out to lunch and it is an activity my son enjoys and seems to cherish—but have mom offer a movie, a hamburger, or a pizza and you would think I asked him to walk down the main street of town with me in nothing but our birthday suits!
Just last night my son and I were talking about the holiday season and some of the things I’ve done with the girls—I asked him if he didn’t want to do ANYTHING with me—a movie? A trip to lunch? I couldn’t help but remember that my son and I used to have a holiday tradition where just he and I would go shopping at this fun little market place here in our town—a renovated factory and warehouse that have been turned into specialty shops and small, local stores. He was never into big crowds and always loved the little stores and the decorations and the lack of a big bustle. At fifteen plus, he is not at all interested in a trip to the market with his dorky mom. I can tell he doesn’t want to really hurt my feelings but he’s horrified at the prospect. His solution: “If you got a good movie like, say, ‘Bad Santa’ and brought it home—we could make some popcorn and I’d watch it with you.” Not quite the same thing, but as the mom of a fifteen-year-old boy—I’ll take it.
Also: The Return of Lost Traditions
What do I Say When People Ask Me About Teenagers?
Older Teens Really DON’T Come with Parenting Manuals