Comments on: Traveling man

By: Lanafactrix

Lanafactrix — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:30:30 +0000

I work in a clothing store, and in the fitting room there’s a low bench with a plastic dog on it, clearly intended for children. Kids are always running in to sit on the bench and pet the dog.

A few weeks ago, it was two kids together–a little girl who informed me that she had been six but had just turned seven and her younger brother, who had been three and was now four. They were charming, and I was happy to talk with them for a bit. A little later as I was leaving the store, I passed by the kids and their mom, who was clearly on her last nerve. I paused to tell her that her children were delightful.

“MY kids?” she said, in disbelief. “I’ve never had anyone say that before!”

I told her that I thought mothers didn’t hear it enough.

‘S truth.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:44:21 +0000

It’s so nice to hear some positive words about teenagers! My son just turned 13 and, although he’s no saint, things are more fun around here when he’s home than when he’s not. My daughter is a few years further away from teenagerhood, and I have a generally higher level of conflict with her than I do with my son, but I’m clinging to the thought that this means we’ll have lots of practice dealing with our conflicts by the time she hits her teens.

By: twinsetellen

twinsetellen — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:15:47 +0000

100% agree – teenagers are fascinating and fun. Completely worth the effort.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:31:32 +0000

Nice son, nice mom. There’s no mystery here!!!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:05:07 +0000

Love it. I love meeting kids on the plane- their stories are always interesting. Wish I had finger puppets with me, something to work on!

By: Darcy

Darcy — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:48:31 +0000

You are such a sweetheart it is so hard to fly with little ones your pretty sure everyone is glaring at you and you feel helpless.
Next time we travel I’m going to knit up some finger puppets to pull out during a tired moment
I just knit up a wee bat finger puppet and sent it to the UK for my friends 5 year old she loves it and now my 2 are wanting one but I have been knitting them dolls for Christmas they will be sure to love:)Hugs Darcy

By: LisaK

LisaK — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:36:42 +0000

Yeah! I’m so glad your son is home before Christmas.

By: Channon

Channon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:42:42 +0000

Sweet – you, John, the babes…

By: Don Meyer

Don Meyer — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:28:58 +0000

Suzanne is right (as are the others) — the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. There’s another saying that I almost remember that certainly applies to both you and John, (and, I expect, to the rest of your family) — the one about “… random acts of kindness…”

Fun -

“Give me a sentence about a public servant,” said a teacher. The small boy wrote: “The fireman came down the ladder pregnant.” The teacher asked, “Do you know what pregnant means?” Sure,” said the young boy confidently. “It means carrying a child.”

By: Bev

Bev — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:39:34 +0000

I totally agree with you about teenagers — they are interesting, bright, challenging — and maybe its the “challenging” part that folks are afraid of!

My personal relationship with my mother when I was a teen was awful — but somehow that was not the case with my daughter and I — she tells people now that I’m one of her best friends — I worked myself out of a parenting job and into a life long friendship

perhaps part of that was my remembering how awful being a teen could be, and the sweet spirit my daughter brought with her

now days I tell her “I hope you have a child just like you” and it’s a blessing, not a curse