Yesterday, parenthood, or rather should I say Parental Responsibilities (P.R.), outpaced me, outstripped me, plain outran me. I was running along at a pretty good clip (meetings with support staff at Quince's school, rushing critical forgotten homework to Alexander's school -which normally I would not do but it was his birthday, shopping for birthday dinner, listening to Quince do her homework reading). For much of the day, I was ahead of P.R. Then in the afternoon, both kids home, I felt it pull up alongside and keep pace with me. All good.
But suddenly, as I am finishing up last minute work emails, Alexander is on the computer signing up for Facebook and P.R. streaks ahead leaving me in the dust.
How did this happen??? How am I so unprepared?? Alexander has been begging for a FB account for about the last year. To put him off I said okay when you are 13, which is when Facebook allows it, and which at the time seemed like it would never come. But Wednesday it came, snuck (sneaked I think is the correct word, but I like snuck better) right up on me. To be fair to him, he has been saying for the past few days, "On Wednesday, I get a Facebook account." I was busy preparing to close out my mother's 5 week visit, host my friend's son for 5 days and figure out two kids' birthdays, not to mention trying to squeeze in that pesky thing called work. We'll have time to deal with that FB stuff once life has returned to normal. Ha.
Because there it is, in the blink of an eye, Alexander has 40 Facebook friends, and I haven't even looked at one "Protecting Your Kids on Facebook" website. I am feeling wildly inadequate for this job. Whoever gave it to me was a nut. If I were my supervisor for this parent job, I would be at this very moment advertising for a replacement. I'm not waiting. I have my CV out.
But suddenly, as I am finishing up last minute work emails, Alexander is on the computer signing up for Facebook and P.R. streaks ahead leaving me in the dust.
How did this happen??? How am I so unprepared?? Alexander has been begging for a FB account for about the last year. To put him off I said okay when you are 13, which is when Facebook allows it, and which at the time seemed like it would never come. But Wednesday it came, snuck (sneaked I think is the correct word, but I like snuck better) right up on me. To be fair to him, he has been saying for the past few days, "On Wednesday, I get a Facebook account." I was busy preparing to close out my mother's 5 week visit, host my friend's son for 5 days and figure out two kids' birthdays, not to mention trying to squeeze in that pesky thing called work. We'll have time to deal with that FB stuff once life has returned to normal. Ha.
Because there it is, in the blink of an eye, Alexander has 40 Facebook friends, and I haven't even looked at one "Protecting Your Kids on Facebook" website. I am feeling wildly inadequate for this job. Whoever gave it to me was a nut. If I were my supervisor for this parent job, I would be at this very moment advertising for a replacement. I'm not waiting. I have my CV out.
Oh dear paniced parent, deep breath. You my dear have been preparing Alexander for 13 years. He is a bright boy, oh excuse me, teen, you have been an example for him everyday of his life. I would venture to bet those 40 Facebook friends are a fairly tame lot.
ReplyDeleteAfter hosting your boy, I would like to suggest that you take over parenting of my children from here on out. You have done a spectacular job!! You have every right to be very proud of him!
DeleteCan I just say? I never realized what a wonderful writer you are. I know you are an amazing observer of life -- both the small and the large things -- and a great storyteller. But for some reason, I never realized how well you are able to translate those amazing skills to the written word. I am in awe.
ReplyDeleteAwwww. That just warms my heart. Thank you so much. I would so much rather write about parenting than actually parent. Is that wrong?
ReplyDelete