My favorite sport in the Summer Olympics is, by far, gymnastics. I was watching in 1984 when Mary Lou Retton got her perfect 10 on the vault. That same year, the dreamy men’s team won gold (I had such a crush on Peter Vidmar!). I watched what is still one of my favorite Olympic moments of all time when it happened live: when Kerri Strug vaulted on an injured foot (when she probably shouldn’t have) and clinched the gold medal for her team, and then Coach Bela Karolyi (love him) carried her to the podium for the medal ceremony. It still makes me cry like a baby. This year, I’m…
-
-
What Teenagers Do Behind Closed Doors
If there’s one thing you parents of young children should know about what happens when they become teenagers, it’s that their bedroom door will often be closed. (Technically there’s more than one thing you should know but let’s just tackle this one for today.) It’s all a part of their asserting independence and wanting real privacy, even though “real privacy”–in my family, anyway–isn’t scheduled to happen for the offspring until they are living on their own. For teens, closing the door can make circumstances more forgivable to play music really loudly, easier to have a quiet phone call after it is technically allowed, conducive to an illicit afternoon nap when…
-
One Score, Or Twenty Years Ago…
This kid was born. Today is D’s twentieth birthday. It was alarming when I realized last night as I was wide awake at midnight–two hours after I had gone to bed–that I can no longer say I have two teenaged sons. It’s a bizarre feeling. Of course, you can’t slow time down and this is just the thing that tends to happen. Today is a little bittersweet for us since D is in New Mexico, miles and miles away from here. In fact, in many ways it doesn’t seem like his birthday at all because I’m not making a cake (that would be weird–and mean!) and naturally there are no…
-
Engaged.
My kid is engaged. No, no: it’s not what you think. Let me explain. We’ve had a minor hiccup in J’s college search process recently: he has decided not to pursue music long-term. A couple of years ago he was definitely planning to major in music and then when we started having deeper discussions about what kinds of music careers he would want to pursue, he eventually changed his plan to Music Education and then, most recently, a business major with a music minor. Two weeks ago he announced out of the blue during one of our many college conversations that music was out. It was a shocker to us,…
-
Mountain Time
I have never been a mushy-gushy type of mom: it’s just not me. I have never worried about my kids as much as other moms do. When my boys used to hurt themselves as little ones tend to do when they’re young and clumsy (or don’t make the best decisions!), I was pretty good at remaining calm and not worrying myself into the stratosphere. Where other moms can’t sleep until their teenager gets home in the evening–no matter how late it is–I have always been the “I’m going to bed: just wake me up when you get home so I know you made it back” type. I’m especially thankful to…