Teensters

I don't know if anyone else has this problem or not -- isn't that how all of us feel? Like NO ONE else could possibly be experiencing this insanity? It MUST be JUST happening inside MY walls?
Well, I don't really think that.
I hope not anyway.
But in MY house, this summer and recent summers past we seem to have an issue with children 18 years and older.
You see, the kids turn 18 (my son will do this in October) and they think they're adults. They want to move up to the adult table at Thanksgiving. This isn't a big problem, except I don't feel like they're adults. Even when they run off and get tattoo's (because they can) piercings (no parental permission needed over 18) or even start college.
I thought it was me. I thought I just couldn't see past the children they were to accept them as the adults they'd become. Then I've had my own daughter, and others around this summer -- and I realize it's NOT me. It's them.
You see, when adults are here, they do things.
Don't get me wrong, everyone likes to sleep in, but when is the last time an adult was in your home and slept until 1:30 in the afternoon?
Adults notice things like, that laundry needs to be folded, the trash is full and needs to go out, and that sink can't possibly hold another dish, why don't I just pop those in the dishwasher?
That's what adults do.
Then there's the arguing with siblings.
My sister-in-law doesn't come to visit and call my husband stupid. Not once.
She doesn't argue with him about what's on TV or who gets to play the Wii next.
I don't think being an adult is about a magic age unless you're not an adult.
It's not something defined by a sudden event like a birthday, but it's about taking responsibility for things around you. It's paying your way, paying your dues, doing your share, and man oh man, being an adult is about tolerating those around you at least to the extent that they do not disturb you for breathing the same air as you. Even when that someone is your mom who doesn't think your an adult yet.
Yeah, being an adult means when the dog hacks up a nasty, oozy sock in front of you, you jump up and get rid of it and stop waiting for someone else to do it.
I don't know if anyone else has that problem or not, but MAN -- at least that sock eating creature doesn't expect to sit at the adult table at Thanksgiving.