I live in a household with a pack of contradictors–while I think I’ve gotten used to it after nearly twenty years I have to admit that there are times when I would like just one day…one day, mind you, when I could say something without having someone contradict me! I try to tell my kids that I am really smarter than I look and that there are people out in the world who think I know a thing or two. Of course, I think my teens are convinced that I couldn’t get myself out the door in the morning if it wasn’t for all their “help” and “contributions.” Still, I would love to be able to say something as simple as “I think it is supposed to rain today” without someone letting me know how wrong I probably am.
I know that my family is not terribly unique. In fact, I think one of the first signs of impending adolescence is that the child stops taking what you say as truth and starts to question and contradict everything and anything. I should have known when my middle daughter started arguing with me about things as simple and obvious as “the sky is blue” (“It’s not exactly blue mom, more of a pale white and you only think it is blue because of reflections or something–everyone knows that!”) that things would never be the same.
Of course, we parents get thick-skinned. Since I am neither into arguing or trying to insist that they listen to my incredible words of wisdom, I let most of their contradictions just roll off my back. Meanwhile, I know that I have to resist the urge to correct and contradict them (just another one of those cruel twists of irony that parenting teens brings into our lives) and be the “grown-up.” Wouldn’t it be nice, though, if I were to get to be smart and go un-contradicted just for one simple day?
Also: Honoring Parents
You May Have to Tolerate a Bad Attitude