9.18.2007

Flashback to 1982

It is official... my husband and I have become my parents.

When I was a kid, I would get into trouble a lot. I don't really remember why I was getting in trouble, but I do remember my punishments. I was basically grounded from the age of 10 until I went away to college, and even then my father tried to ground me but I just laughed and went to a fraternity party and got drunk. Obviously I learned valuable lessons from all of my punishments.

Well let me tell you my dear friends... payback is a bitch!

My son has started this walk into the darkness of which I like to call "acting like an idiot." Today he did something that was so bad I could have dropped him off at the hospital and asked just how long the statute of limitations is for a person to want to give their child back.

When his father got home from work he was called down to the kitchen table where he sat with tears in his eyes while I kept asking him just what is going through his brain. As we started to lay down the law and hand out the punishment that was the exact moment when I realized that my son is the carbon copy of me... gulp!

I have always said that my son is just like his father. They look like Doctor Evil and Mini-Me so I always assumed that their behaviors would be the same. No such luck! My husband was always a "good boy" when he was younger, or maybe even a "mama's boy" but I am not going to get into that pool of dysfunction right now. ANYWAY, it became crystal clear that as my son sat looking at me with venom in his eyes and his jaw clenched tight , that he was me through and through, and that we would meet many more times at this kitchen table in the coming 8 years of his life.

How can this be? It seems like only yesterday that I was getting punished from my parents for offenses that I thought were minor but they obviously thought would be the end of the world as we all knew it. They punished me as if I were a hardened criminal man... they never cut me any slack. Sheesh!

The sad part in all of this is that I look at the behavior that my son displayed today and the mom in me thinks "He has to learn a lesson here! He has to be punished! Take away the computer, the television, the gameboy, the nintendo, the radio... food!" But the juvenile delinquent in me thinks "Cut him some slack! At least he wasn't out slashing tires and smoking behind Wal Mart."

Oh... this is going to be a long adolescence, I can tell.

17 comments:

Kasia said...

Wow, how fast did he go from tears to venom?

How much does military school cost? My grandfather used to say you should ship 'em off to military school at three or four and not take them back 'til they're 21...and since your DH is a Lt. Col., surely he can pull some strings...

momto5minnies said...

HEE HEE ...

You get what you give! My sister has a mini version of herself. I just tell her that it is TOTAL PAYBACK.

10 more years and then he is off to college ;) Until then, enjoy your YOU!

Anonymous said...

So, Miss TroubleMaker, what should your parents have done with you? Now's your chance to show them!

Besides, you have taken the form of a 15 year old boy and are living with me. I really NEED to know.

Texas Mom

Anonymous said...

God does have a funny sense of humor! HA! I feel your pain girl! I have one that same age who is me over and over and over again! It's a battle of the wills around here somedays! I just remind him where that personality of his came from and he doesn't really want to duel with me, cuz Mama's gonna win everytime! ;)
BTW - Love your blog! I stumbled onto it a few days ago.
~Heather

Unknown said...

I always thought that I was a pretty good kid. That is until my kids started doing some of the same things that I did. Then I realized that I wasn't a good kid; I just didn't get caught.

Chef Stinson Family said...

I am been following your blog for a couple of weeks now. My step-daughter is also homeschooled and I found your blog through another homeschool mom. I have to say, you are my entertainment here at work everyday!! I just love your wit and your humor. If we didn't live so far from each other, I know we would be good friends!

This morning I opened your blog (yes, while I am suppose to be working - I can't get through the day here without some humor!), saw the new post, pushed my chair back grabbed a cup a coffee - o.k. and a cinnamon roll - and sat back down to enjoy the read!

I am already dreading what my kids have in store for me. Oh Lord help us all!

Anonymous said...

your six pack will soon turn into a case.... and you won't want to share!!!

Anonymous said...

There was talk about raising kids this morning on the radio...WGN Chicago, anyway this one guy kept saying, "As my old Greek Grandfather used to say in his best Greek accent." "Look, I produced you! You don't produce me!" Repeat that three times in your best Greek accent...and then think about it. It sure packs a lot of wisdom, don't you think?
BJK

chestertonian said...

The Curse is always a factor. What is the Curse? It's when your mom or dad told you as a kid, "I hope you have kids as bad as you when you grow up!"

I got told that by my mom, and it came true, at least for my oldest. But I refuse to pass on the Curse. i will not say that to my sons. It ends with me. So far, I have held to my commitment.

Hilary said...

So was he smoking in the girls' room? :)

Kasia said...

C'mon, tell us what he did!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with ChefStinsonfamily love your blog, and look forward to reading it when I get home from work. I will be sitting at my desk LMAO. Thank you for making my day brighter. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh..you are such a tease!
What did he do forget to do, put down the toilet lid?
Are you sure you weren't just being over dramatic or having a bad day...poor kid.

I can just picture his clenched jaw, arms folded across the chest...gotta love him.

Renee said...

The one I feel sorry for is your husband. He was a good boy, but now look was he has to deal with. Seriously. I was miss goody two shoes. My husband wasn't so much good. His mom pronounced the curse of "I hope you have one just like you", and now I have to deal with it. Not fair, I tell you!

june cleaver said...

What did he do? He hotwired my minivan and went joyriding... and then he spraypainted "I Love Lori" on the town water tower... and then he stole some beer from the 7-11 and somehow figured out a way to get on the roof of the elementary school to drink his beer... and then he went cowtipping... and then he mooned our priest.

i just don't know what to do with this kid!

Kasia said...

Uh huh. We believe you... :-p

chestertonian said...

So who's Lori? ;-)

Seriously, if he shared some of the beer with you, I'd say go easy on him.