Let's Get It Started!!!!

Instead of going into some long-winded soliloquy about who I am and how great it is to be a mom, I'm just gonna jump right into the first installment:





Puberty...SUCKS!!!!



Ok...So, I have a 13 year old son, with whom I am blessed to say, have a very close relationship with. This is not to say however, that we don't have our obstacles. Although we can talk about almost anything, there is something about this pubescent stage in his life, that has totally fried his brain and any common sense that he may have been born with! There are times when I can look at him and see remnants of the little angel that I gave birth to but, as of late, it seems those times are so few and far between. Between the constant mood swings; the "out of the blue" sex questions; the acne and the newfound vanity (since he's just now realizing that he really is cute); I think the most frustrating part of all this for me is his SMART *SS MOUTH!!!! I mean I can't take it! Now, it wouldn't be as bad, if he did it "old-school" style and talked about me to himself, under his breath, after he got back to his room but, NOOOOO...Not my kid. My kid, will mumble something that is actually, halfway decipherable and then when I question him about it, he has the nerve and audacity to give me the silent stare down, as if he is challenging me!!!!! So, I think to myself, "Is he crazy????", knowing full well that he is just being down right indignant. Well, at this point, there are only three things that I can do: 1) Talk to him 2) Put him on restriction or 3) Slap him.

Of course, my first inclination is to take option 3 (because it would make me feel better) and option 2 doesn't fare well, in my home because he has trained himself to be content without material distractions (i.e., playstation, t.v., iPod, etc.) and he doesn't really "hang" with the homeboys of the neighborhood, so restricting him just doesn't work. He'll just lay in his bed until he falls asleep & that doesn't seem to bother him (it just irritates the h*ll out of me). However, I normally relent to my better judgement and choose option 1. Talking can be (for the most part), very theraputic for us both. For one, it forces me to calm down and get to the root of his problem and secondly, it saves him from a major beat down! Now, don't get it twisted...Although I joke, I really do believe in corporal punishment within reason but, I also say that I shouldn't have to be pushed to a point where I do resort to being violent toward my own child...because at this age, spankings are borderline. Whereas, reasonable corporal punishment is no longer a spanking...it's a fight. Needless to say, the majority of the time, allowing him the option of verbal expression, while still being firm about the rules and reinforcing the value of respect, will work...On the other hand, on the days that talking just doesn't seem to get it anymore, then I go by this everlasting bible passage: "Spare the rod and spoil the child"...Simply put: "Beat his *ss!"