Tag Archives: peer pressure

Proud of my Good Kid

Parenting,

Child #1:  Do you want to go outside?

Child #2:  I don’t think that’s a good idea.  My mom doesn’t like me being outside when no one’s home.

Child #1:  She don’t have to know.

Child #2:  But she might worry if she calls home and I don’t answer.

Child #1:  Take the phone outside.

Child #2:  No, I’m not going to do that.

That was a conversation between my 12 year-old, 7th grade son and his friend.  As you can tell by the title of this blog post, child #2 is my son.

On the days that I work, my son calls me as soon as he gets home.  When he called me a couple of days ago and told me the above conversation, I was angry at his friend, yet relieved that my son did not give in to peer pressure.

I guess I shouldn’t have been upset, I’ve always had the gut feeling that the other child was up to no good.  And my intuition was correct.

I taught my son at an early age about my door of communication.  He knows that he can talk to me about anything.  He often tells me a lot of nothing, or what the other kids at school are doing, but I’m good at filtering.  So you can imagine how happy I was to know that he did not give in, and disobey my rule of not leaving home.

There was not a door of communication in my family while I was growing up.  I am the second youngest of six children.  I couldn’t talk to my mother, brothers, or sisters about anything.  If I did, then the only thing that would happen would be gossip, and a lot of laughter behind my back .

My family doesn’t know that I was always talked about at school, how I jumped on a couple of kids at school when I got tired of them messing with me, and so on.  All they know is that I was a good kid that was on the honor roll, played sports, and was in the band.  They don’t know the pain and struggles I endured while growing up.

I refuse to let my children go down the path of loneliness, and eventually resentment, like I did.  I took my childhood negatives and turned them into positives.  Therefore, I will always be at my children sides for support.

The other day was only the beginning for my son.  I just hope that he continues to make the right decisions.  No one is perfect so I’m sure he’s going to get into some stuff (I know I did).

My son is not a mama’s boy.  But he is a good kid, and I am proud of him.

 

 

 

Class Reunions: Should You Attend?

Rants and Tantrums, ,

I was recently informed, by a childhood friend, that my name was submitted to serve on our high school class reunion planning committee.  Actually, she is the one who signed me up.  I told her that I wasn’t going to participate because I don’t plan on attending our next reunion, just like I didn’t attend the first two.  Well, I couldn’t attend the first one because I was in Jamaica getting married.  But I wouldn’t have gone to the reunion anyway.

So the question is, should you attend your high school class reunion?

The answer should be that it depends on the individual.  But a lot of people don’t look at it that way.  They feel EVERYONE should attend class reunions because it’s going to be fun, and you get to see your old classmates.  But I look at it like this.  I HAD to go to school, I DON’T HAVE TO attend class reunions.

I don’t do class reunions.

Of course those that are excited to the point of hyperventilating about their high school class reunions were the popular kids.  Jocks, cheerleaders, and class clowns.  Loud mouth, gum-popping girls.  Cliques.  Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

I wasn’t popular, but I wasn’t an unknown either.  I lived on the honor roll, was active in sports, band, and even had a column in the school newspaper.  I didn’t belong to a clique, I was quiet and shy, and preferred to keep to myself. And I didn’t like half, if not more, of the kids anyway.

Most of the people I hung around back then don’t attend our class reunions either.  That’s because we don’t care:

  • who is fat now
  • who is still skinny
  • who can still dance
  • who still can’t dance
  • who is still pretty
  • who looks ugly now
  • who is still hoeing around
  • who has a boatload of kids by different daddies
  • who don’t know who their baby daddy is
  • which guys don’t take care of their children

I don’t pass judgment on anyone, so I don’t care to be around such nonsense at my age.  Again, I had to go to school, I don’t have to attend a high school class reunion.

Besides, I already keep in touch with a select few, so I don’t need to attend a reunion.  I can talk to my friends anytime I like.

Around the time of my last class reunion, I got into a heated discussion with a childhood friend.  She told me that I am supposed to go to the reunion.  We attended the same elementary school, but different middle and high schools.  She was always the pretty and popular girl who could dance.  Boys loved her, girls hated her.  She couldn’t understand my point of view at all.  She was very sarcastic.  But what she don’t realize is that, unless you walk in that person’s shoes, you won’t understand jack shit.

So I ask the question again.  Should you attend your high school class reunion?

It is an INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE.

Have you attended a class reunion?  Why or why not?

UPDATE:  June 27, 2015
I wrote this blog post 1 year ago.  And my decision remains unchanged, I don’t do class reunions.  However, my 25 year high school class reunion is near.  Not only have I been asked if I’m attending, I’ve also been TOLD (by my closest classmates) that I am going.  After a lot of in-depth thinking, I am now considering making a cameo appearance at the meet and greet.  I may even slip in the cabaret.  But nothing more than that.

I’m sure you will want to know whether I go or not.  I’ll post my answer soon.