WHERE DID I GO WRONG

I just can't keep up with my teen daughter. I try to remember when I was a teen, but that doesn't work as my daughter has more friends than I seemed to have. I don't know how she manages, but she is always on the run. Keeping track of all the places and phone numbers is the first challenge. Then there are the boyfriends. I always say "and your current boyfriend is?" Sulea doesn't like this much and feels I am insulting her. But hey, last week it was Chris, and this week it is Terry. Wonder who it will be next week? And to hear her say "I love you" about curls my toes! This part I remember as a teen, and I also remember all the heart ache that comes with each weeks love.

So how as parents are we to keep up. Communication!!!!! We keep the lines of communication open and honest. The best way I have found to do this is to not critisize but listen. If it is something that blows me away, I may not give much of a response and try to make sure she doesn't realize how much it affects me. But if I want to keep her talking I can't cut her off and get mad at her for talking honestly with me. The hardest thing I have heard so far is "Guess what mom, I got my first french kiss!" Yes that was one that I didn't have much of a response for other than to talk about sexually transmitted desease and such. But I didn't get mad, and I didn't yell! And she still knows she can talk to me. I am not however to sure how I will handle "I feel like or have had sex with my boyfriend", and hopefully I won't have to deal with that anytime soon.

Mindy Sue's Place
Puppy Dog Tails

SULEA'S POEM THAT SHE WROTE BY HERSELF

A TATOO OF TEARS

YOU WANTED TO GO TO A CAR RIDE
TOGETHER WITH YOUR FRIENDS
FROM TEN TO TWELVE YOU WILL BEGONE
OUT TO CRUISE THE AVENUE

YOU SPED, YOU JAMMED, YOU BOBBED YOUR HEAD
YOU NEVER SAW THE LIGHT
YOU CRASHED, YOU CRIED, YOU SCREEMED, THEN DIED
THEN OUR FAMILY CRIED

I FOUND OUT AT THE TATOO SHOP
I WAS THERE TO GET SOME FEAR
WHEN I FOUND OUT YOU WERE GONE
I JUST GOT SOME TEARS
--Sulea

Some may ask why I would call this page "Where did I go wrong". Your answer--It is at this age that things seem to fall all apart for a parent! Seems like nothing a parent can do is right, and the teen is always the one with all of the answers. Therefor, that is where I came up with the name for this page--for all of us parents that just don't think we are doing things right when really we are. We just have to be patient to see that what we are doing is right!! Mindy

I WANT A FRIEND

I WANT A FRIEND
WHO LOVES ME LIKE YOU
I WANT A FRIEND
WHO KNOWS SOMETHING NEW

I WANT A FRIEND WHO WILL
SHUT OFF THE LIGHT
I WANT A FRIEND WHO WILL SAY
GOODNIGHT

I WANT A FRIEND WHO DOESN'T ACT DUMB
I WANT A FRIEND
JUST LIKE MY MOM
--SULEA

Send Email to: MindySue'sPlace@webspawner.com