The Mother of a Teenager

I had a glimpse over the last year of a few lonely times. Times when my son would leave me sitting at a table in a restaurant to go play arcade games; and times when I would walk through the store alone because he wanted to look at video games FOREVER; and times when I would sit at my mom's house while he went down the street to hang out with his friends...

But I now know that these were JUST GLIMPSES. At the age of 13, Brennen has begun his social networking. He always wants to hang out with his friends. I am reminded of a time in my past very similar to this. Ok - pretty much exactly like this. So, I am patient and grant permission for him to go and wait for him to return. This week, he has started to ask permission to GO PLACES with his friends. Well, it started about a month ago. After school one day he asked me if he could go hang out at the mall. I was like - "The MALL? We never go to the MALL!" Just so happens I had a gift certificate to Bath and Body Works from my birthday (THANKS KAREN!). So, we went to the mall. Turns out, Brenn was meeting up with some friends after school there. So, him and 2 friends (girls) walked around the mall while I shopped. By walking around the mall I mean - walking in a circle from the south end to the north end; never going into any stores; just walking in a circle over and over. There is not much to look at in the Roswell Mall! But HOW BORING I thought to myself. I realized that I am glad there is not a lot to look at there - this means I can step out into the main isle and almost see all the way to the other end. I don't think Brennen has realized this yet but I have just been informed that he knows this. Anyway, After I shopped, I spent some time with a $5 pizza in the food court watching this ritual of circling the mall.

Then on Thursday Brennen told me that he had been asked to meet up with a different friend (his GIRLFRIEND) at the mall about 5:00pm on Friday. He was asking if he could go. So, on Friday afternoon, again, we went to the Mall. THE MALL????? UGH!!!!! Anyway, I am happy to see him hanging out with friends. He tells me I can just leave him there - but I am not as confident as he is. I notice none of his friend's parents are there - so, I sit alone in the food court. YEAH! Oh how I am missing my best friend. Karen would sit in the mall for hours with me - Chaperoning these little outings - Ha ha! After meeting the 2 kids Brennen was hanging out with, I decided they seemed like good kids and I threatened them a little about getting in trouble and then left them unattended in the mall. I spent some time watching DUCK DYNASTY with Scotty and my mom - which is a whole other post. After a little bit I went back to collect my child - I should correct that - MY TEENAGER! How different this is.

Anyway, it was these two events that made me realize it is LONELY being the Mother of a TEENAGER! I need to make some friends that want to hang out at the mall with me! Any volunteers?