When my younger sister was 16 she decided that she wanted to go to Juilliard. I remember her announcing it one night at dinner and I’ll never forget the deer in headlights reaction that both of my parents had. Her revelation had them both stammering, unsure of what to say. I guess if one of my teenagers declared their desire to go to Stanford my husband and I would feel the same way; speechless.
Long story short, my sister never even applied to Juilliard. She took a totally different path. But her Ivy League fantasy is now a running joke in our family. Every time she would make a grand plan for big and important life steps my parents learned to just nod their heads in agreement and watch whether or not she would follow through. This “Juilliard joke” is now running amok in my house. Thank goodness I can appreciate teenage humor.
My two teens are now expressing their own wild dreams of where their paths will take them. My son talks of college abroad. Of a life far away from California and visions of working for a gaming company. He goes on and on about how he sees his adult life. His house, car, wife. It is quite fairytale like.
My daughter also has grandiose visions of her future. College in New York, and a top job in a publishing house. She wants to write books and live in a big, bustling city. She wants to travel the world, meet exciting people and live glamorously. I sincerely wonder where they are getting these ideas.
At first when they started expressing these grand inspirations I panicked. My parent brain went into over drive. We can’t afford that college or that trip or this or that. And then my Mom warmly reminded me at dinner one night to listen to them and “just go with it” as she would say. She reminded me to be supportive of their dreams and to remember that it’s up to them to be successful. And she was right.
From that point on I have learned to just take things in stride. If big things happen for my two teenagers I will be over the moon happy for them. Momma Bear will be proud, more so than normal.
As the new school year approaches and we get in the thick of things I’m sure I will hear more complaining than anything. But when they do talk of their future I’ll be there to remind them of a few things. To have fun, do your best, enjoy high school and being a kid. Adulthood is just around the corner, don’t rush it guys. Enjoy your time now and be in the present.
I hope you and your family have a great start to the new school year. Let’s all make it a good one, day by day. Remember love and laughter are the best remedies for tired, cranky teens and littles alike. Spread the love.
