Being a teenager is tough!! (So is being around one)

I nanny for three children. The youngest, is a 10 year old boy. He has been in and out of the hospital recently for sucicide and anxiety problems. THe poor kid gets tease so much! The saddest part about it is that he is honestly the sweetest boy, with the biggest heart ever. Unfortunately, he is very obese. He does not get much activity because he doesn't have to. I feel like his parents, especially his mother, looks past the fact that she is really damaging his body and making him a prime target for teasing at school. I suppose when your child isn't contemplating sucicide attempts at ages 8, 9, or 10, you don't mind what he eats or the amount of TV/Computer time he has. He is about 5 foot 2 inches, and weighs 160 pounds. He eats and eats until he gets so full he has to throw up because he's so uncomfortable. Anyways, he has a really big heart and I love being able to be a part of his life. HE has come so far in the past three years that I've been with this family. His homework and sense of responsibility have really improved. Too bad there aren't 'social skills' coaches. Well there are, but I just don't know where to find them for this boy. Anyways, he is doing better now. He goes to an out-patient program instead of his regular school right now. This program provides his normal curriculum in addition to group meetings and one-on-one meetings.

Ok here is my point. Last week, on Wednesday (I think that was November 5th), was the first day that he seemed somewhat back to normal. His smile was bright, his eyes were bright, his face seemed much more animated, and he was very talkative and not sluggish like he was before. God is so good. This little boy has been on my heart and in my prayers, and it seems that God is working. Probably even working through him. Teaching us adults about resilence, grace, and love.

Anywho, today I ordered Twilight tickets for the kids and I. The oldest girl of the family I nanny for, she is 13, has been quite a snotty snotty patattie. Seriously, it is so weird. It seems like it ihappened so all of a sudden. Very eerie. She's always been my little buddy through my job with this family. I see SOOOO much of me in her, its uncanny. I come from a family of five kids. (youngest sister is 21, then me, then older sister, older brother 27, oldest brother 30) Many people say I am the blacksheep of the family. Its true. I took a way different path. I am the only one who graduated highschool with flying colors and honors, who went to college immediately after, have always had a job. I am the only one of my family (including mom and dad) who has not had an addiction to alcohol or drugs. I suppose its because I have seen what its done to them, and how its ruined their lives and brought so much pain onto everyone. I could go into that more, but I love my siblings and I have had some EXTREMELY funny memories and wonderful times with them. (except for older halfsister, so is sooooo weird. so creepy and sneaky, she cheated on her SAT's and got caught thank goodness) The biggest reason I have taken the path that I have is for the relief of my mother. Honest to God. I think that is about fifty percent of why I am here on Earth. Ok so back to Claire and off of me, sorry. . . . So I have always looked out for Claire. With a younger brother and sister who have severe learning disabilities and psychological issues, much of the attention is on the younger siblings. Which, rightfully so I suppose, though I do not think it does much for the one child in the family who is considered 'normal'. Claire is involved with youth group, traveling (junior olympic) volleyball, dance, flag football, and lacrosse. She is in all honors and enriched classes, and is always willing to lend a hand around the house with cleaning and cooking. She has been such a blessing, I can't even stress it enough. She is precious.

So these past few days with Claire have been awfully difficult. She is going through her 'Teenager' stage to the max. Its really funny to look at how her and Lydia (age 12) get along. It reminds me of Kaylin and I. It makes me laugh so much. I wish I could go back to when Kaylin and I were that age and be a bug on the wall to watch us as we fought over stupid things and dug as deep as we could to try and think of something we knew would hurt the other's feelings. I have no idea where this attitude came from. I didn't even know she had the capacity to be so mean and snotty. I wonder how long this stage will last.

Want to know the whole reason I started writing this post in the first place?? Because I was going to say that I bought TWILIGHT TICKETS for the kids and I for Friday, November 21st. I promised Lydia I would pick her up from school and we could go see the movie. Claire wanted to go to the Midnight showing, which means she needed to find a ride to the movie and a ride back from the movie (around 2 am). Her mom said no tickets unless she found rides to and from. The mom works two jobs, so she can not stay up that late. Dad said no too. (parents are divorced) So I said I wouldn't buy her the tickets and I have never got so much attitude in my whole life. It escalated from there. OBNOXIOUS. I wonder how snotty I was when I was her age. Probably pretty snotty. Its like you have to put on this big front. You have to act like you don't care about things and that you don't understand why everything can't happen your way on your schedule. When inside you are frustrated and hurt because here you are doing everything the 'right way' and doing it well too, and all anyone can care about is your younger sister's illness of the day and your younger brother's clinginess and tears when he is asked to do something. Why do parents bend things all the time for your younger sibling/siblings? Its a hard life for a teenager.

Lots of prayers to Claire, lots of prayers to the family for being around her during her teenager stage. :) I still love her. Attitude and all. She might be my favorites if it was ok to have favorite amongst the kids.