Lazy Teenager vs. Frustrated Parent

1156 Words5 Pages
All they do is sit on the couch and watch television. They spend so many hours using the computer that their butt has left a permanent impression on the chair. You believe that there must be something medically wrong with your child because they are constantly taking a nap. You are concerned. You are disappointed. Most of all, you are angry. Suddenly, one bright, sunny day, after you’ve repeatedly asked your son/daughter to do something productive with their time and to prove that they still have a pulse, you watch them exit the house. You rub your eyes. You pinch your arm. Your blurry vision and the throbbing pain in your forearm prove that you’re not dreaming. You call to them to not be late for dinner. Without turning around or speaking, they raise their hand up and wag it half heartedly. You’ll take that gesture to mean that they’ll be home in time. Are they going for a walk? Are they going to meet their friends to play a sport? You know you should’ve pressed them for more information, but you were in shock. Your child, that sweet, phenomenal creature, who, up until today, was a disappointment who only drained your patience and your money, is finally outside, taking steps to a place that isn’t the refrigerator. It’s a good day. For the first time in months, you are able to sit on the couch in the daylight. You can watch some television. You can read a book. You can do a puzzle or two. You can notice, from this perspective, the dust that has collected on the family pictures. Still feeling happy about your child, you get up and grab the duster. They will see that you’ve dusted their picture and will know that you appreciate them. You look closely at their kindergarten picture. You smile at their missing teeth and that clump of hair that wouldn’t stay down. They were so cheerful back then. They were active and into everything. What happened? You go into
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