Several of my neighbors have kids who will be graduating from high school
in a few weeks. I got a text this morning from one neighbor: “Today is
Senior Cut Day. Can you let us all know if there are a lot of cars at our
houses during the day?”
First I texted back: “I didn’t want to say anything, but I’m actually throwing
a keg party for all of them here at my house. Don’t call the cops …”
Then I began thinking about what it will be like to have teenage kids one day.
I’m still living in the land of temper tantrums and car seats, so I can’t yet
relate to my neighbors’ challenges.
I’m sitting here watching “Franklin” with my young, impressionable children.
I always know where they are and can teach them the lessons I want them to learn.
I can choose to keep certain information from them. I can still hug them a hundred
times a day and hold their hands whenever I want. But I’m going to blink, and these
little people, whose handprints were painted on my Mother’s Day card, will ask for
the car keys with hands that have grown bigger than mine.
While I know I’ll continue to enjoy every stage of their childhoods, I don’t look
forward to the things I’ll have to face as my kids grow: the scariness of all things
cyber; watching them drive off in cars with their friends; worrying about whether
they’re bullying or being bullied; wondering if my guidence will help them resist
peer pressure.
When our chidren no longer want to hold our hands, I guess we can hold their hearts
by simply loving them, listening to them, and building them up. And when their
“Senior Cut Day” comes, we can hope they make safe choices … and have the time of
their lives with their friends.
The World of Author/Mom Alicia Murphy! 