I have officially become a parent of a teenager. I know I’ve actually been the mother of a teenager for over a year now, but this week I realized I’m now the stereotypical Parent Of A Teenager. I have officially lost the ability to listen to my son tell stories from school without turning it into some sort of lecture. He comes home with stories that match many of my own when I was his age. You would think this would allow me to be all cool and commiserate with him. But no. Instead I have to take these stories and find a way to teach the Bigger Grander Lesson. Be Nice. Be Respectful. Do Your Homework. Quit Worrying About Your Hair. Clean Your Room. When I Was Your Age I Walked To School Both Ways Uphill In The Snow While Being Chased By ZOMBIES!
What is wrong with me?
I have also almost found myself making comments about his eccentric style. Luckily, the Mom part of me remembers the Teen side of me quickly and keeps her mouth shut. I think that someone who wore fishnets and combat boots (that were painted with peace signs, of course) in college has NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to comment on her son’s obsession with hoodies. I wore polyester plaid men’s suit pans for chrissakes. Pants that I bought for 1.25 at a Dig Store. Do you know what a Dig Store is? It’s like a thrift store except that there are NO RACKS. There are just piles of musty clothes on a concrete floor and you literally DIG through them. For several years most of my wardrobe was found at Dig Stores. My most favorite being long black paisley polyester dress that came with a matching jacket. A jacket that was also paisley and polyester. AND I WORE THEM BOTH. So, I just keep my mouth shut because I can’t image him ever making a clothing choice as bad as that I did.
Not that you’ll see me challenging him, of course. I’m not that dumb.
I hope that I’ll be able to remember this when I’m the mother of a teenager. I know it hurt when my mom critiqued my style…even if my answer was usually an eye roll.
I’m a new reader, and thought I would delurk. Love the blog.
From seeing the pictures of LilZ, I can assure you he and my son (13 next month) take their fashion cues from the same place. The hoodies. My son also has an affinity for a style I like to call “Hobo Chic” or “Runway Homeless”. Ripped, worn, baggy jeans (not halfway down the ass baggy, but still baggy), and the oversize tees. I must say, he wears all the rock band tees I get him like AC/DC and the Rolling Stones…so I’ve got that going for me.
But otherwise, the closer he looks to someone who lives under a bridge, the better he likes it.
I am hoping that he doesn’t want to wear a polyester/paisely dress!! hoodies are good. I don’t think my parents ever really said anything about clothes, I don’t think any parents really can! 🙂
You are such a great, thoughtful mom about this stuff.
I think I’ll be okay with whatever clothing choices mine make (except for hateful statements if such things come up). I’m wondering if I’d be okay with odd hair color or piercings, tho…Prolly yes. Keeping the husband cool about it will be the real challenge.
I thought I was the only one chased by zombies on my way to school! 😉
Seriously, though, from what I’ve read and seen of LilZ I think you’re doing an awesome job with him. The thought of my son being a teenager already makes me QUIVER with FEAR, but hopefull I’ll handle it as well as you seem to be!
Tonight I’ll have nightmares about zombies wearing paisley chasing me and critiquing my fashion sense 😉
I have never heard of a dig store. I have to say, they sound pretty awesome! Hang in there, teenagedom only lasts for 7 years!
From the photos of him, I think LilZ dresses much better than most of the kids I see on the subway.
Speaking of peace signs, have you seen this cake pan?
http://www.worldwidefred.com/peaceofcake.htm
I have a son who turned 14 a few weeks before LilZ, and I can say that the hoodie thing is totally normal. At least your son doesn’t look like a walking advertisement for American Eagle. I’m young enough to get most of my son’s wardrobe choices, and even covet some of them…like the ripped, dirty, stained jeans. No way would my mom have ever purchased those for me 🙂 I can hear her now: “Why pay good money for something that looks like it ought to be thrown out?”
Hoodies! Oh my God my house is overrun with them.
I have 3 kids in the teenage years and they all wear
hoodies over their t-shirts every.single.day! To make
it even worse we live in Michigan where it is brutally
cold right now and none of them will wear a winter
coat. What is up with not wanting to be warm??
Hoodies!! My 14 yr old son wears a hoodie every single day and will not wear a long sleeve shirt! Why???? Who knows but he does not even own a coat. And does LilZ draw on his Converse? Mine draws or his friends draw on the top caps and edges. So frustrating but I think the hoodie thing is the norm for boys. Chris looks like he slept in his clothes most mornings. Love the teenage years!!
Ha ha ha ha! Your descriptions of your fashion as a teen crack me up. While I wasn’t quite as out there with my clothes, I did dress in tiny, poorly made things bought from RAVE for at least a solid year of high school. It was all babydoll Ts with my dad’s old flannel shirts for me . . . oh, and paired with silver boots. Yeah, I was soooo cool ; )
PS: LilZ’s hair is super cool. He shoudn’t worry at all.
I CRINGE to think of myself as a teen. I think I have single-handedly destroyed all existing pictures from that age. I think of that, and then realize that NO child could have worse fashion taste. So no matter what my future child may choose to sport, at least it’s not a gray-ish (formerly white) NKOTB hat or something equally frightening.
Hoodies are not just the thing for boys. I think they are universal teenager. My girl just turned 14 and wears a hoodie every single day. We live in Phoenix. It was 85 degrees yesterday. Still, she wore a hoodie.
Ummm, where is the picture of you in the head-to-toe polyester paisley?!!!
I am so glad you wrote this. I find myself doing the exact same thing whenever my son tells me a story. I have to turn it into some GREAT BIG LIFE LESSON. I want to smack myself sometimes, I can only imagine how he feels.
Oh and the hoodies? It was 5 degrees yesterday and my son STILL wears the hoodie in lieu of a coat. FIVE DEGREES!!!!