I'm pulling this draft from the archives as I've debated whether or not to post it. This is from about 3 months ago. Obviously my emotions were a lot higher than they are now. Enjoy!
February, 2015
There's been so much, yet so little, going on these past few months that writing it all down seemed like just one more thing to do...this week warrants a post. At the risk of embarrassing both of my children, I will try to be gentle, kind and perhaps a bit ambiguous. I (and they) have some messages to share, so I hope I do them justice as I write this post.
I'll start with the blue hair. I have never argued over hair. It's mine and yours to do what you wish. "be warned", I've always said, "if you put yourself out there, you will be pointed out". And so, after fair warning, my 16 year old son dyed his hair blue...yes blue, bright smurf - like blue. Well, he didn't do it...a very experienced stylist from one of the most prestigious salon's in our area did it, and we (dad and me) paid a premium for it...but it's the most beautiful blue hair I've ever seen. All the girls at the salon were so excited. They took pictures and everything...you see this was so much more fun than highlights and low-lights and covering up grays! :) "Be confident", I said. "People will talk about you or make fun of you", I warned.
Now on to strep throat. Yuck, right? Top it off with the worst cold and cough you can imagine. My bones rattled as my poor baby girl (21 years old) dealt with this unfortunate illness this week. I'm happy she's close enough to come home for a couple of nights to get better. Sickness coupled with a heavy senior semester work load and some young adult, real life things going on that she has to deal with and, well, as much as we all wish we were 21 again, I think we all tend to forget how much stuff there may be to deal with at that age.
On to the drug deal...take a blue haired boy (my son) and a boy that may have skipped a class or two and wears an over-sized coat (my son's friend)...add a hand shake (something that apparently isn't done too often in high-school), toss in a judgmental 3rd party and watch how quickly this is turned into an "exchange"...yes, that is the phone call I received this week. My world stopped for a few moments.
And then I came to my senses...I have no doubt, for so many reasons, that my son was not involved in an "exchange". It could be a combination of the conversations we've had (both before and after this accusation), the observation of his social life, his lack of access to money, his openness to us being in his backpack, his game room, and bedroom (more for looking for homework assignments than drugs!) I'm not the mom that says, "not my kid"..but this time, I'm on my kid's side. I don't know who or what this faculty or staff member thought she saw in the halls of my son's high school, but I'm happy and pleased to report that there were 2 pencils, a pair of ear buds and an orange peel that was revealed when the boys were asked to empty their pockets.
Back to strep...I dropped my daughter back to school this morning and I'm not sure if she realized I dropped a little piece of myself with her...as I do every time I drop her off to college. But she is getting better and will do fine, I know this. And whatever life throws her way, she will thrive, she is strong.
As for the boy with the blue hair, who we jokingly call "the drug dealer", (sorry for mocking you, school administration) well, this was the last straw after being involved in a very hurtful (pre-blue hair) verbal "exchange" with some kids a few weeks ago. He has asked to finish his his last year of high school in a different school district. So as parents we're faced with the decision to tell our kid to suck it up, be strong and carry on, because this is life...or give him one last chance as a high-schooler to wipe the slate clean and see what will be.
Fast forward: May, 2015
Still dealing with all of this...hence this post. Stay tuned!
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