I have just got off the phone from talking with my mother, when I realised I had a huge smile on my face. I had just rattled off about my children, yakking away, making sure she understood, asking "Do you know what I mean mom?". How retarded of me, of course she knew what I meant...she had to raise me didn't she!
My oldest son will be eighteen this year, yip...the big old everything is legal age.
It's been pretty easy up until now. He has been a good student, polite and very likable. Hardly ill, never complained and did everything he was told to do. The last couple of weeks, I'd say since the start of the new year, things have been really different. The grumpiness, attitude, not being happy about anything, it all got a little worse- he was like a different child in the house! I was beginning to think he may be involved in drugs or bad friendship circles. It reached a point, a few days ago, when I completely snapped. His new self was starting to affect everyone in the family and I noticed the balance was completely off ...way off, and that is what made me go off my rail.
I wish I could say I handled the situation in a calm and open minded manner, instead, I yelled and screamed, noticing his expression as he was shutting me out even more.
That clearly didn't work! Well, like what most good wives do, I waited until my husband came home and told him what had happened. He promptly, walked into his room, closed the door and I waited...and waited and waited. I couldn't hear anything, except for a low mumble that could not be translated into any recognisable language. Gone are those eavesdropping days as a teenager, it was no use and I had to wait.
After sometime - a long time might I add, my husband and son joined me in the kitchen as if nothing had happened. After dinner, all my children helped with clearing the table and the evening went off pretty smoothly. No arguments, no fighting, in fact I'm sure my other two terrors were trying their best to stay out of trouble, and I could tell they too were very curious as to what had been said.
Later I learnt, that he was given "Is the glass half empty or half full" speech. He was also reminded that he was part of a family and that if one is feeling all negative, that the negativity affected each of us. Yip, apparently that was all he needed. He has made a total turnaround and things have really been much better. I guess, I forget growing up into a young adult is a big thing and they do make their own minds up as to the things they like and don't like...in the end it's how you look at life and if you do so positively.
Just when I thought I knew my child, I realised I still needed to get to know the young man that he is.
Ladybird Bella
