Life with a 14 Year Old (18)
With my wife, oldest daughter and granddaughter out of town and my son (as usual) busy with other things, I got to go out on a date tonight with my 14 year old! As usual, the verbal bantering was constant and the enlightenment I received about her life was tremendous. For example, I learned the cell phone defines the girl and any new cell phone is cool regardless of make or model. I also learned that some parents buy really cool cell phones for their kids and when they then lose the really cool phone it gets replaced with a cheap, not-so-cool phone. And finally, I learned that a $300-$400 expenditure on a new, cool cell phone is not only a good thing but an expected thing even if the 14 year old must rob the college fund to do it.
I must admit though that after we got done with the spirited banter about the cell phone, our conversation turned to important events of the future. Her first homecoming is scheduled for September 27th, and she’ll be going with a girl friend of hers. On that same night, I have a retirement party for one of our business leaders and unfortunately my wife is out of town that evening. Our dialogue went something like this:
Me:Â So, do you expect to have a date for homecoming?
Her: [My friend] will be my date. If she can’t go, I won’t go.
Me:Â Do you expect one of your boy friends to ask you out?
Her: No. Besides, I don’t want to dance.
Me:Â How about being my date at a dinner that same night?
Her:Â Whose dinner?
Me:Â A guy at work that’s retiring.
Her:Â They’d rather see me, huh.
Me:Â Probably.
Her:Â If I went to the dinner and missed homecoming would you tell everybody?
Me:Â Of course!
She’s actually thinking about it! I may have to buy her that new cell phone if she actually goes with me!