Fourteen. It's a mysticalbrnumber. That's how many birthdays it's taken our daughter (in her mind) tobrbecome smarter, trendier and overall more hip than her 40-something-year-oldbrparents.
And check this out — when thebrcool, smart teenager wants to go shopping at Southlake Town Square, to abrfriends' party at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine or if she's playing in a tournamentbrat Southlake Tennis Center, how do you think she gets to these destinations? Bingo!brWe drive her to where she needs to be. So, tell me how is it that we have somehow taken the backseat when it comes to knowing “cool” things to do, say or wear?
Everybody told me it wouldbrhappen, but I laughed it off. I guess I thought somehow I'd be spared thisbrteen-itis. I was wrong! So, in the spirit of my fun-loving and not-so-hip mombrself, I’ve decided to help parents of teens with a few (tongue-in-cheek) tips for navigating the world according to those who suffer from entitle-mania.
1. brTexting is thebrpreferred means of communication. Just remember:brUnless you want to risk ruining their lives, never end a text with the words,brLove, Mommy.
2. brFashionbrtrendiness. As a parent, this is no longer your forte. You could walk the runway for Vera Wangbrduring fashion week in Paris, but to your teenager, what you're wearing willbrstill be un-cool.
3. brThe phrase “cleanbrup” is no longer self-explanatory. Ifbryou are not specific when making this request, your teen will likely think youbrmean they should free up some space in the DVR.
4. brIf it's music tobryour ears, rest assured your teen will hate it. Teenagers believe they are thebrbest music connoisseurs on earth. Remember: If you want meaningful conversationbrwith your teen while in the car, prepare to have to order a mandatory hiatusbrfor their ear buds.
5. brPrepare for snarky to tempt your teen’s mouth. If you haven’t met this companion who shows upbrdisguised as sarcastic comebacks, bad attitudes and know-it-all body language,brwell, just brace yourself. Expect it,brand plan to deal with such moments by providing positive but firm feedback. Mybrsincere hope is that they’ll quickly understand showing respect at all times isbrthe only way to truly be cool.
I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful summer!
Dionne
Dionne Anglin is a TV news reporter with FOX 4 News. She, her husband, daughter and their rambunctious dog, a one-year old Vizsla, live in North Keller. Dionne is always looking for new ways to explore her North Tarrant County community… and that often includes the lure of new restaurants, shops and jogging at different parks—but also the quest for locating cozy spots to enjoy coffee and plain old people watching. Check out her blog to keep up with her adventures in maintaining a career and “mom-dom” with a unique sense of style at Reporter Mom.