Even though the school year is over and a new one is right around the corner, my days have been quite busy. Alexandra (we call her Ally because she actually hates her name) my youngest who is 11 years old is attending a basketball camp and I have to get her there by 9:00 A.M. Samantha (her friends call her Sam, but I love the name Samantha) has been working at a McDonald's and being only 15 years old always needs a ride (of course there and back.) I will have to temporarily stop typing this entry because Samantha is going to the Point Pleasant boardwalk with her friends. Its not far since we live in town so it isn't a difficult assignment for me. Envisioning my daughter gallivanting down the boardwalk seems almost surreal to me. Just a few years ago, I remember her gallivanting through the playground asking me to push her on the "big girl swings."
Before she gets out of the car tonight, I will tell her to be careful. What dangers are on the boardwalk? Well I used to go look for girls on the boardwalk (never being too successful!) Are there other young people looking to influence my daughter and her friends? Drugs? Alcohol? Can I even say kissing? Ughhh!
Hold on Sam is screaming that she will be late...
I don't want my daughters to grow up! I want them to remain elementary school age or younger. I know what you are saying...I'm a paranoid Dad. I love my daughters more than life itself and I do worry about them....But should I?
My wife and I raised them with morals and faith and we only hope that our repetitive words are ingrained in their brains. My Mother would always tell me when I had a dilemma: "Let go and let God." I hope God is telling those young boys how to act when confronting my daughter.
I have to learn to let go and I think I am doing a decent job of it. I was thinking about building cages for my daughters, but then DYFS would intervene. I guess I do have confidence in her since I let her go to places such as the boardwalk and the movies with her friends. I know there are many parents out there that worry like me so if I can indulge you with a few life lessons on raising a teenage daughter.
1. If I don't approve of the way she looks before she goes out, I send her back to her room to start over.
2. I try not to let her play me and my wife against each other.
3. There will be days where nothing I say to her is right. That's okay. I tell myself I'm the adult. I say what I feel needs to be said.
4. I have faced it...boys are now indispensable to her!
5. I must understand that it's possible for a girl who has everything to be miserable sometimes. I realize I can't fix all her problems.
This is just scratching the surface, but I need to stay ahead of them. The days of holding her hand in mine and rolling on the beds with them are over, but I can't wait til the next stage....Womanhood!
I will survive it and may even win if there is such a thing. Hey if I can endure Marine Corps Boot Camp, I can outwit two teenagers. My father had three daughters and he is still comparatively sane.
...I hope she has fun on the boardwalk tonight.
Hey fellow blogger! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your post. My dad always said to me (and still does), "Make good decisions, I know you'll do the right thing." It pretty much says it all and I just try to live up to that for him!
The one thing you always want to do is be the pick up to go home person. Say hello and stay very quiet in the front seat. Pretend your in another would, You will hear every thing that happened that night, Then if you hear something that you don't really like, bring up a random example similar to what you didn't like at a different time before she goes out again. By doing this she really doesn't realize that you are talking about what the girls were talking about but you will also be letting her know you don't approve with out confrontation.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great story, you should really continue. I'd love to read more.
ReplyDeleteHow old is she now??
ReplyDelete20! Ughh
ReplyDelete20! Ughh
ReplyDelete