Saturday, June 6, 2009

Picking Your Battles

Two teenage sons. Need I say more? Clashes. Opinions. Assertiveness. Growing into adult young men isn't easy - for either the child or the parents. As the saying goes, 'Little do they understand until they have children of their own. ' But for now, we give them room to expand themselves. We pick our battles.


Yes, there are times even my absolutely perfect college boys get into trouble. There are many instances when I'd love to send them to the corner, or to their room. But the boys are 19 and (almost) 21 respectively. If they haven't learn the basics by now, my husband and I haven't done our parenting very well.
When we do get upset, it usually revolves around a major theme, such as responsibility and communications. It doesn't involve the length of hair or cleanliness of rooms. Don't get me wrong. I'll complain. Suggest. Complain. Repeatedly. But it's not a battle on which I really want to waste energy.
For example, I told my younger son that if he didn't clean his room, I was going to post a picture of it on my blog.
He lay in his bed and laughed as I took several shots. Did he even attempt to tidy? Nope.
I hope you can really experience the awe I have for the way he can manoeuvre through such ....clutter seems too benign a description. I mean, there is not one square inch of floor uncluttered. You need to launch yourself onto the bed else you'd never reach it.

Am I exaggerating?






See for yourself.












I sigh and shake my head, dismayed. After all, I am such a clean, tidy, and organized person. Where did he get these messy genes? LOL

1 comment:

Jean said...

I see what you mean. And I feel for you.

But they DO grow up and clean up eventually. Really, they do.

Jean
http://www.jeanmatthewhall.com