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Teen Parenting Survival Tip
Here’s what I did to connect with my teens
Back in the day when blue jeans suffered the first trend of wholey distress, the teen eye roll stage was in full bloom. My cool-mom status had expired without a pink slip or warning explaining why.
As a busy single mom, I wanted more time with my teens, not less. Although cell phones were merely a bud back then, Nintendo, boom boxes, and MTV kept my two teens spellbound.
Then one day, my gas hog, a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba, died, spitting green vile at me from a grinning cracked gasket. I hated that car as much as anyone can detest an inanimate object. It played a part in my defunct cool mom status by breaking down frequently, causing a puff of black smoke and humiliation for my teens who had to help push the tank off the road.
After the gleeful memorial service at the junkyard, I took the $50 trade-in cash to my brother/car dealer who helped me drive away in a little Dodge Colt. That day as I filled the tank for $10, I realized my newfound freedom. Feeling like I could travel the world for $10, I packed up my teens and we took off for the land of wherever.
Before we had cleared our driveway, the bickering began.
Daughter: Mom! Mom! He’s farting on purpose.
