Conversation with a Teenager
(Am I old enough to have a teenager?)
I knew this day was coming. I just knew it. And yet here I sit, totally unprepared. In shock, if you will.
“Mom, how old was Dad when he started dating?”
Oh no. Please don't ask me one of THOSE questions. One of THOSE questions that really do belong to Dad. Nearly 10 years after his death, THOSE questions can still be difficult.
“I have no idea, Jona – I met your Dad in college”
“Well, how old were you when you started dating?”
Silence. Not sure I want to answer this. Wait! I know! I’ll try this:
“And why do you want to know?”
Uh-oh. Silence in return. Hmmm. Badly played. But then:
“I want to ask Kelsey to the Homecoming Dance”
Wow. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. Loudly.
“Mom?”
“Yes, Jona?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes Jona”
“And?”
Really? I am gripped by panic. There’s no way we can afford the Homecoming Dance. But I hear myself saying:
“I’m sure we can figure something out”
Silence. And then:
“I love you Mom”
“I love you too Jona”
Still sitting here. In shock. In silence.
Still not old enough to have a teenager.
Certainly not one who dates.
Right?
I knew this day was coming. I just knew it. And yet here I sit, totally unprepared. In shock, if you will.
“Mom, how old was Dad when he started dating?”
Oh no. Please don't ask me one of THOSE questions. One of THOSE questions that really do belong to Dad. Nearly 10 years after his death, THOSE questions can still be difficult.
“I have no idea, Jona – I met your Dad in college”
“Well, how old were you when you started dating?”
Silence. Not sure I want to answer this. Wait! I know! I’ll try this:
“And why do you want to know?”
Uh-oh. Silence in return. Hmmm. Badly played. But then:
“I want to ask Kelsey to the Homecoming Dance”
Wow. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. Loudly.
“Mom?”
“Yes, Jona?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes Jona”
“And?”
Really? I am gripped by panic. There’s no way we can afford the Homecoming Dance. But I hear myself saying:
“I’m sure we can figure something out”
Silence. And then:
“I love you Mom”
“I love you too Jona”
Still sitting here. In shock. In silence.
Still not old enough to have a teenager.
Certainly not one who dates.
Right?
posted by kateandjona at
12:29 PM
5 Comments:
so is he dating?
Hugs.
By
Valerie - Still Riding Forward, at 9:35 AM
R U OK?
By
Valerie - Still Riding Forward, at 6:45 AM
I came here through another blog. I have a deep respect for the two of you, and I hope everything is alright (Iam sick with worry, but it's about you). Please, give a sign everything is alreadt!
By
diana, at 8:23 AM
Really, are you both okay?
By
Valerie - Still Riding Forward, at 12:03 PM
Let's trade - my unmarried 25 year old let me know I was going to be a grandmother this summer. There, do you feel better? No, I'm sure you don't and I'm not being flip about it, really. These things just come at you out of nowhere and smack you right in the head. Just take a deep breath and know that this too shall pass, it's just growing up. ((hugs))
By
Mindi, at 7:36 PM
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