A Teenager

This girl made me a mom thirteen years ago. Thirteen! I know, right? While the years have flown by the days are sometimes long and last night was one of them.

She had a dentist appointment yesterday right after school. Then, because we were in town, we hit McD’s for dinner. I know, whatever. Don’t judge.

We got home just after six and Lyss settled in to do her homework. She had quite a bit and was stressed over it.

I took Olivia up for a bath and Lyssie followed us, bringing both her math book and her science book with her so she could work on the homework for those subjects. She kept asking me to help her, with a whine in her voice. I don’t mind the whine so much as I wonder why this A+ student is asking her mother, who was in seventh grade back in 1984 for Pete’s sake (Pete Sakes says hi, Julie.)

But once Olivia was settled into the tub, I settled myself next to Alyssa and we got to work on that homework. I found some of the information she needed for her science work and explained to her how to find the answers for her math. She did the actual work. And in the end, the homework got done, the little one got clean and everyone was happy.

I’ll admit that I am actually glad that Alyssa still wants my help with homework. I love that she still wants me to braid her hair each night after her shower. I consider myself lucky that each night after Olivia is asleep, Alyssa finds me so we can settle on the couch next to each other and just lean into each other while we watch an episode of Sliders.

I know how lucky I am that my teenaged daughter still likes me. I mean, sure, most kids love their parents even though they’re often loathe to admit it, but this smart, funny, sweet, kind, sometimes-snarky girl actually seems to like me and that’s pretty awesome in my book.

Bring on thirteen. As long as we keep talking to each other, laughing with each other, finding common ground and even being ridiculous together, I think we just might have this.