Thursday, April 01, 2004

How to Stress Teenagers
On the way to church last night, Rick stated, "Mom, you and Dad really stress my brother and me." My heart drops because I work hard to make our home a sanctuary, a safe place, a refuge from the world for my family. The only way we may put stress on them is ...

"Because we make you do your schoolwork, clean your room, do your chores?" Silence.

"Well, you do nag us."

"If you do it when we ask...or even do it without asking, the problem is solved, " I respond ever so rationally letting that word "nag" fall into the netherland even though I hate hate hate that word.

I hear the gears whirling as he figures out how to backpedal.

"No, it's not the work. I like doing the work. It's just that when I get home, you ask me in a sweet voice, 'How was school today?' and I'm almost 15 and that's my business."

"OK. From now on I will ask you 'How was school today?' in a mean voice."

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