Skip a Rope

Skip a rope skip a rope listen to the children while they play
Ain't it kinda funny what kids all say skip a rope.....
Sung by: Jimmy Dean




I have a 16 year old ~ For the most part he's a great kid/teen/man.  He has his moments and I find it quite interesting how he can say the smartest thing one minute and the dumbest the next.

For a couple years he was *between* kid and teen and I think he used this state to his full advantage.  One minute he's telling me he is old enough to do this and then the next not old enough to do that..... I'd remind him that just 2 days ago he was telling me one thing, and now he's telling me the other.

We'd hear an off colored story on TV or on the radio and he'd giggle ~ and I'd question him ~ what is funny about that??  I wanted to see if he was laughing because he heard me laugh or if he actually got the humor of it ~ I quickly stopped quizzing him, realizing he was getting the humor.

I'll never forget how we sat and watched Shrek, a movie we'd both watched together numerous times ~ and he turned to me and said ~ HEY, when did they put that in there??  Meaning an innuendo geared for adults, so they can watch these shows with their kids and stay focused and interested in it. I laughed and said Josh it's always been there ~ you were just too young to get it.  And then I watched as he listened to it more closely, making sure he didn't miss more of the adult humor.

Lately I've noticed he's started to pepper his conversations with swear words ~ nothing serious or terribly bad, but swear words all the same ~ damn, ass and pissed off are big ones these days and I let he use them but once and awhile I've had to let him know that's enough ~ he's crossed the line. How much you let him venture out and how much you have to rein him in, sort of like flying a kite.
We're a very open family, he can and does talk to me about anything ~ but from time to time I let him know it's inappropriate to talk like that..

Once and a while we laugh and comment at a story we heard and it gets way off track and goes too far and I stop and wonder ~ should I be talking and laughing like this with my son?? It's that very fine line ~ but don't you eventually have to give up being a parent and become his friend? It's all very weird and sometimes uncomfortable, and I have to Say OK, OK STOP ~ I'm your mom, not your buddy and please don't say anymore.

I remember being 16 and in some ways I was so much older than Josh is at 16 and in some ways I was not as mature as he is at 16 and I was definitely not as smart as he is at 16.  It was a different time and world ~ I didn't grow up with computers in the house, and TV's in every room, never mind being able to rewind, fast forward or even record that TV.  And speaking of TV ~ I can remember like it was yesterday the first time I heard the word *bitch* on a TV show and it wasn't beeped out!! I remember being shocked and wondering if I really heard it ~ now they say much worst than that and no one blinks an eye.

I know he will grow into a good man ~ he will make his mistakes and do stupid things and get into trouble he shouldn't be in ~ but didn't we all? Isn't that life lessons and learning how to play the game?  I know I did and I'll be the first to admit, I'm a SLOW learner ~ the lesson will bang me upside the head time and time again ~ but once I get it, I get it.  I just hope and pray he gets it quicker than I did!

Love you Josh ~
Mom