Entitled Teens: Ever So Much Fun

Two of the Sons are old enough to have a social life, but not yet driving. Which means that either I am driving, or I am supervising teen gatherings. Neither of which bug me. I am happy to be involved, happy to have their friends come over, happy to meet these kids, happy to drive them where they want to go--and sometimes I even want to go to those places, myself. All is well, right?

Except.

They also feel old enough to Not Have to Explain Things to Mom. So we have a lot of conversations like this:

"Are we free on Saturday?"

"Why? What time? What kind of free?"

"I want to do something. Are we free?"

"I don't know. What are you asking, specifically?"

(because, as you moms know, I need to know

-if I need to be there, or just provide transport
-if the Son's potential plans conflict with something already on the calendar
-if the entire family needs to be free, or if he wants to go somewhere just by himself

etc, etc.)

That gets me plenty of eyerolling, but precious little detail.

This week, Son #2 wants to go to a concert. It actually sounds like one most of us would enjoy. But Hubby is performing, as well, that evening. I asked Son #2 when his concert started, and when it would be ending. It took 4 days to get a straight answer. Because he thought, "I'll just call you when I'm ready to come home" was going to be enough.

As it turns out, his concert ends an hour before Hubby goes on stage. That gives me just enough time to pick up the Son, drop him at home, and dash off to dance with Hubby's mic stand.

Somehow, Son #2 doesn't understand that I WANT to be available to him, as much as possible, and I WILL fudge my schedule, most of the time, but my days of sitting by the phone, waiting for a 14-year-old boy to call, have been over for, oh, let's say 26 years.