Teenagers believe the world revolves around them. And it’s very seldom that anything is their fault. Just ask them.
If you are the parent a teenager, a lot of things are your fault. Or at least they would have you believe that.
If they oversleep, they ask, “Why didn’t you wake me up?!” They pretend not to know how to use an alarm clock.
If you did wake them up, and they fall back to sleep, they say, “You know I always fall back asleep! Why didn’t you come check on me?” They pretend not to know how to use the snooze alarm.
In any case, if they are late, there’s no way it could be their fault.
Sometimes a female may have to try on five outfits to get “the look” she is intent on. You stroll past her bedroom and say casually, “We have to leave in five minutes.”
The panic in her voice rises as she exclaims, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!” Sometimes teenagers pretend to not know how to tell time. We just have to roll our eyes.
One of my favorite scenes is when I am completely ready and am waiting patiently for my kids in order to leave the house. The minute … no, the SECOND … they are ready, it is time to leave. If I stop to put water in the dog’s dish, I am causing them to be late.
Remember, they think the world revolves around them.
If we are five minutes late picking them up from somewhere, we are terrible people. We get the “You are ALWAYS late” look. We feel guilty.
But if we break all the laws, race across town, run over several people on the way, and get there ON TIME, it is certain that the teenager will be late. Teenagers rarely feel guilt on these occasions because, remember, the world revolves around them.
If we are (by some miracle) early, the odds of them getting out late increase exponentially. You might as well take a nap. Teenagers don’t think you have anything better to do anyway.
If that certain shirt needs to be cleaned by Friday and it doesn’t get done, we are solely responsible. Teenagers pretend not to know how to turn on the washing machine.
If we forget to tell them someone called, the world ends. If they forget to tell us someone called, the world goes on, because, well, they have so much on their minds.
I remember my mom saying, “I can’t wait for you to have kids of your own!” I told myself I would never say that.
With age comes wisdom. I can’t wait for my kids have kids of their own.
