Sunday, August 06, 2006

Of time and reading ...

... and much else besides at Petrona: Teen heroes and writing about writing. I have managed to keep up with reading by eliminating a lot of others things. I watch very little TV, go to movies only very occasionally. Otherwise, it's reading, writing, editing and blogging. As long as I can punctutate that with a bit a gardening, cooking, and poetry, I'm content. Unlike Maxine, however, I am no longer involved in parenting.
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4 comments:

  1. C. E. Chaffin2:20 AM

    My youngest is a mature 17, my oldest a fairly self-sufficient 28, but this free pass from parenting I don't understand.

    Doesn't it continue with daughters for a lifetime? I have three daughters. Tell me it isn't true.

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  2. Frank Wilson11:04 AM

    It's a lot better when they're grown. More of an exchanging of notes. I remember my oldest stepdaughter, to whom I am very close, asking me about her twins when they were in their "Mom is always wrong" phase. I explained that this too shall pass. At any rate, once people are adults, they're free. One has to step back. One is always there if needed, but one is no longer even remotely in charge.

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  3. Maxine Clarke3:53 PM

    Thanks, as ever, for the link, Frank. Your life activities sound very like mine - unfortunately I did not factor in the time parenting would take before I made the leap. But they (the children) are worth it I am sure ;-)

    Interesting comments from you and c.e. chaffin about stepping back. My eldest daughter is 15 and she doesn't want me to say anything to her on my own accord, ever. Until she wants something herself or is bored.

    I had heard that this is what it is like being parent of a teenager. And I certainly got short shrift from my own parents at that age, so I find it quite nice, like a game, to be ignored and then called on for a lift at what seems like random times. (And being ignored has its compensations, cue reading, blogging etc.) And my reward -- at teatime today, Jenny and her friend Issy were messing about, talking about wars, and Issy said "why can't they all have a cup of tea instead"? Whereupon Cathy spontaneously spent 15 minutes explaining to them about Hitler and appeasement policies, the Rhineland, etc. Amazing! I was impressed and touched, especially as afterwards she went upstairs to play Lego with them -- icing on the cake!

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  4. Frank Wilson5:01 PM

    Bravo, Cathy!

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