I love all of my children, but my teen and toddler are definitely at more lovable stages than my tween. Tweens are not as cuddly and charming as very small children, nor are they as companionable as teens. Parenting a tween is very hard work for me (...she said, having never parented a defiant, rebellious child to adulthood). Tweens are physically, socially, and emotionally awkward, and they test all fronts at all times.
It is rare to find a point of agreement between my tween and I. He is over-the-top goofy except when he's brownnosing me or being sulky and sullen. Sometimes it seems that everything he does grates on my last nerve. Luckily, I seem to have lots of last nerves!
Once in a while, though, something strange occurs - and I think you will agree with my definition of strange here. One of us will begin to invent a jingle about some mundane happening. A jazzy tune will accompany a lyric about losing yet another pencil, for example. The pencil song develops a bit, and then the other of us jumps in. First we do a little echo. Then we alternate lines or verses. Finally we throw a little harmony, a little embellishment in the mix.
Sometimes a lost pencil becomes a full-fledged musical, complete with choreography and the Big Ending.
We laugh, pat each other on the back, hum another bar or two. Then it's back to struggle and strain.
Sometimes it scares me that this child, who lives to drive me insane, is so like me. Though he's in the driver's seat on this journey, he sure can make the trip fun!
And now you know my tween is a boy. So goes the anonymity.
No comments:
Post a Comment