Help! Major Pain!

[Jamie]

I think sometimes though our animals know when we are injured and treat us respectively. Just an idea.

Jenn, I think you are right about dogs knowing when you need help. My 12 year old American Eskimo dog, Toodie, has been like a little nurse these past 6 weeks. She sticks with Momma everywhere I go, gets up with me in the night, and if I sneak back to the bedroom for a nap, she'll leave Dad and come lie beside me. What a good dog.

 

[Doug]

I'm in trouble right now. We just got home from the barber shop. I got fed up with his hair length. I think all the girls like his hair. (He doesn't know I once had a pony tail).
I had his cut down. Now he is in a total funk.
Know what, I don't really care...I haven't had a pill today so I could be right on the edge of going ballistic.

 

[JenniferG]

Can you take a pill or are you trying to cut down? Allow him his funk, feelings heal. Hair grows back. Ballistic is a little harder to heal. Girls do like the hair long, but parents like neat and clean. My 19 year old son says don't say anything else about it because that will start up a bunch of "junk". Yes he went through the long hair stage too.

 

[Doug]

I took a half pill.. I am trying to cut down as I can. I usually run about 1 1/2 pills per day now. On days when I hit the legs hard at the gym, I may up it a bit.
And then there are the weather fronts...Ouch.
He's recovered now. His mother came home and rescued him from "Darth Dad". She told him the same thing you said..It will grow back.
We are also having some conflict with the "first girlfriend" and what they are allowed to do discussions...I may have to take 5 or 6 pills before it's over.

 

[JenniferG]

Better all the DR for a refill. Glad you're a little better. Just think, probably only 10 more years til he marries and it's over. Now your crying right?

 

[Doug]

He and I are great buds..He knows how far he can push things before I "put my foot down" as my mother used to say.

 

[Jamie]

Doug, I don't envy you AT ALL dealing with a teen these days.....you have my sympathy and support. From all you have written it sounds like you are a very caring and involved father, which is what really matters in the end.

Can't believe your son hasn't seen some of those "ponytail" photos somewhere in your house....doncha think? Hair would bother me like crazy, but I probably would just try and deal with it, cuz I don't think it is a big deal - what with everything else kids deal with today. Unless it was dirty or stringy. Couldn't do dreadlocks, though....

What WOULD get me rolling is the practice that so many parents allow today of letting their young teens entertain friends of the opposite sex in their bedrooms with the door closed. I pray your son never tries that one on you! Or the other one where parents allow their underage kids to drink at home and actually purchase booze for parties in their homes. Kansas is really cracking down on THAT and a number of parents locally have found themselves in serious trouble with the law....as it should be. You know the old story.....if Johnny is going to drink (or do drugs or have sex), I want him to do it here at home where it's safe. Yeah right. See how you got me started on my soap box? Maybe my rantings took your mind off the new haircut.

 

[faith]

Doug- I remember back when my daughter was in high school, she went to a sleepover at a friends and came home with red & blue hair! Here was my beautiful daughter, who's natural color is a dark brunette with blue & red stripes! I took a deep breath & remembered that it wasn't me who had to walk around like that! I have to say that I was majorly p***ed off at the parents that let this happen under their watch!
But hair does grow.....when she went off to college she got a tattoo on her ankle.
Now, she's a mom & getting her master's. She asked me if she could "borrow" money to get rid of the tattoo. Well, I had to turn her down, at least right now, (medical bills) It's a valuable lesson learned!

 

[Skeet]

Jamie, I'm with you! What is this world coming to?

I am blessed that none of my kids has wanted to date. They travel in groups not pairs. My daughter is 21, son 17, and son 15. All are drug, alcohol, and dating free! And it is basically by choice. The school focuses on this topic and allows nothing more than holding hands on campus or at school events. We don't have any dances for the same reasons. A few kids do go over the line, but most conform.

As for hair, I let them do what they want so they have someplace to rebel without much issue. They go to a private school that has a dress code and that includes hair. As long as it is okay at the school, I'm good with it. As a result, only one of them pushes that limit - my guitarist. He should have been a child of the 60's.

 

[gatiger]

Faith, tell her to wear socks.lol

 

[Doug]

He seems to have recovered this a.m. I did tell him that if he didn't comb it properly, I'd take him back today and get the rest cut off.
Now he's asking me to take him to a movie Friday night and Oh, can Laura Beth come???
I might take them and then sit between them.
As for going in the room and shutting the door...I almost wish he would try that one. I would video his mothers transformation to a combination between Wolfwoman and Frankenstein.

 

[gatiger]

My 'Baby Girl' will be 20 this November but I remember well having to explain how certain things would be done. One year her boyfriend, whom I had not met, came to pick her up for a New Year's Eve party. She was still getting ready, as is the rule, when he got there so I thought that a good time for us to chat. As I asked for their plans and he was telling me what they had on the agenda we got around to what time they would be home. He said, "Not real sure." I leaned forward in the chair and told him, "Let me explain something to you so that I am sure you understand and there won't be any confusion. That is my Baby and if ANYTHING bad happens to her, I just want you to know that at my age, going back to prison really wouldn't be that bad. Do you understand?" All the kid could say was "Yes sir, I understand. I'll have her home by 12:00". I sat back and "Good, y'all have fun".

 

[Doug]

See...I call that active parenting!!

 

[Skeet]

Yep, my husband loves that line that follows the comment about how precious the daughter is and that the boy should probably not even think about touching her because "I have a .45 and a shovel and no one will miss you". We decided a long time ago that we'd be cleaning guns when boys come to date... maybe that's why my daughter has decided against it thus far.

 

[Doug]

I used to walk around in a karate Gi when my little sister had a date come over..I would hear her yell..Mama, buddy's doing it again!!