Fleeing the coop

Why is it so hard for a teen to fly the coop? It is laden with anger and argument. It is fraught with tension and distrust. And to top it all off, it is just like when I was preparing to flee the coop. Therefore it is revenge. Someone, I'm betting my mother, cast an evil spell on me. You know how it goes, "When you grow up, I hope you have two children just like you!" Evil words.

Every Mother's Day, I telephone my mother and tell her that she got her wish. I tell her that I have three kids that are just like I was. Apparently it isn't enough because I still get the evil eye.

My 18 year old is ready to be on his own---in mind only. Yet, he is in the midst of pushing everyone aside w/out care or compassion. It doesn't help that his siblings are so much younger than he is. Six year old Number One Daughter whispered to me recently, "he is in a good mood. Is He nice now?" ROTFLOL Yes, he was for about 30 sounds.

Some days are better. Some days are worse. I just wish that the coop wasn't so hard to flee. I know that he needs his space, but there are requirements of being a family, not the least of which is respect. It is hard to get respect from an 18 year old when he is telling me how much he hates me. It is almost funny because it is such a childish statement, but it isn't funny for all of the reasons that you are thinking right now.

I want to help him make the transition, but I guess that is the whole issue in a sentence. He doesn't want help. He wants to spread his wings and take flight. He wants to soar to those ice castles in the sky. At the moment, I would prefer being a bird. Most mother birds simply desert the nest and leave their young to grasp that they are on their own. Then again, mother birds don't get to see the fruits of raising their brood...like their children's children. Here's hoping 18 year old is blessed with children who are just like him. And I mean that in a good way. (With only a hint of the evil eye for good measure;)