Growing up / Part Deuce

Jump to Comments

Last night I had another lump in my throat, butterflies in my stomach moment with Boy #1 and I survived to write about it.  I am slowly getting the hang of this parenting thing!

Yesterday, as soon as the boy got in the car after school, he announced that he was meeting some friends at the skateboard park that is new in our town.   I think  I stopped breathing for a quick second and  just looked at him with a blank stare.  I knew that the skate park just opened last week.  We have driven past a few times and my boy would press his face against the window and gaze with adoration at the concrete structure.  He talked about his “ollies, push shoves, grinding, kick-flips” and other skater terminology that is like a foreign language to most parents.

I was a little panicked, but did not say much due to the fact that it is a proven fact that the more a parent discourages, the more the kid wants to experience it!  So I just said, “oh, that sounds like fun” and gulped my fear back down to the pit of my stomach.

We arrived home and he dropped everything, grabbed his board and off he went to find his neighborhood buds.   He called me a few times, letting me know that they were just skating at M.’s house, which is just a few blocks away.  All was well with the world at that moment.  Then the call came…

“Mom, can you please give me, Eddie, M and S a ride to the skate park?  Please, MOM?”  I reluctantly agreed, if only so that I was the parent that was there to supervise.   I thought I would sit and watch and make sure that nobody broke their neck! 

We chatted on the way over and I tried to keep my cool to not embarrass my boy.  I made no mention of safety or stranger danger, after all these kids are twelve and thirteen years old, but I really wanted to…oh, how I wanted to!

We arrived at the park and I pulled into the closest parking spot I could, in full view of the park.  I opened the hatch of the car so the kids could get their boards out and turned off the ignition.   The kids thanked me for the ride and hopped on their boards and rode off, all the while my boy looking at me with a look of  disappointment.

“Ummm…your not staying, are you?”  he said to me.  I told him I had planned on it and he very firmly told me “NO WAY!”  I quietly got back in the car, and drove away, calling Mr. T on the way to ask if he thought it was the right thing to do.  He of course laughed at me and told me to come home, they would be fine.

I got home and no sooner than when we started a pizza, the phone rang and it was my boy. “Mom, can you come back now and get us?”  I immediately thought something was wrong but was told by the boy with a little chuckle, that they were way out of their league and the skaters that were there were like professionals!  They were a little embarrassed by their lack of skills.

I drove back to the park, picked up the four boys and really enjoyed listening to them talk about their experience.  My biggest fear was that the older kids there would somehow bully, pick on or make fun of these younger kids and I was so relieved to hear them tell me that it was quite the oppposite.  They explained that almost all of the older teens really encouraged the young ones and told them to not be embarrassed, to get out there and try, because that is how you get better…keep practicing!

That was like music to my ears.  I was thrilled that the older skaters were so polite and encouraging to these boys, and I think it meant a lot to them too.  They talked about going back this weekend and trying again. We came back to Casa Teenie and Mr T. made a pizza for the boys.  They sat at our table and talked and laughed and had a great time.  My boy was going to spend the night at Eddie’s house so once the other kids left, I drove the boy and Eddie over.  When we got in the car, my boy and Eddie proceeded to tell me that I was “cool dealio” for taking them to the park and making them a pizza.  I scored big for that!

My boy said to me that he could not believe that I not only approved of him going to the skate park, but that I actually drove them there!  I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was so proud of me, relieved in a sense and also happy that he has a “cool dealio” mom!  He thanked me and with as much sincerity as a twelve year old boy can muster, he said, “Thanks for trusting me, Mom.”

I think I may have melted into a puddle at that moment.  I talked to Eddie and the boy a little about trust, and making good choices.  I explained that the reason I allowed it was because they have not given me a reason to NOT trust.  He smiled a ear to ear grin and my heart sang!  I then turned into Mommy Police and said that I did trust, and believe me, the second I ever find out that there is any kind of behavior that was off limits, they would be in so much trouble, they would not even know what hit them.  I include Eddie in this because he is like my third son, and I know I would have his parents permission to wallop him if need be!  I told them both that the second there was any funny business, they both would be transferred to a school ( I won’t mention the school name) that they both say is a school for nerds.  I heard Eddie gasp in the back seat and say “ohhhhhh…that would be the worst punishment in the world!” 

That is right, Eddie…straight and narrow.  Keep on the path and keep the boy right along with you!

6 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized