LilZ moved up an age group in soccer this season. He is now part of the U12 (under 12) age group and we have been welcomed into that group with a new policy implemented by the coach that he is issuing yellow and red cards at practice for bad attitudes. Those are usually issued by refs in games (yellow: warning, red: out of the game), not coaches during practice. Mainly because, who tries to rough up or smack talk their own team? Evidently U12 boys do, as the first yellow card was given out last week to a kid that said the F-word in practice.
THE F-WORD. EEK. He also responded to the question: “What does defense mean?” with “Screwed your mom.” Which, not really that funny or creative, but still effective as a device to make the other boys go, “Oooohhh.”
Also? We get sex-ed in school this year. LilZ says the boys are already talking about it and the rumor is they give out free condoms, which, I had to alert him was JUST A RUMOR. Either way - it’s a sign he’s getting older and about to enter puberty and MY GOD PLEASE MAKE IT STOP. I’ve already had the “Please don’t be scared to talk to me about sex, drugs, or rock-n-roll” talk as well as the “Crushing on Lindsay Lohan is not allowed in this house” talk. What othe’s are really necessary?
Well, you’ve already covered Lohan, so that’s good.
According to search strings on my blog, everyone wants Emma Watson’s (Hermione’s) cell phone number, so you might go ahead and give that to him, save him the trouble.
You may want to cover what is/isn’t appropriate internet behavior and what is/isn’t allowed to be looked at under your roof.
My parents found out way too late that my little brother was way in over his head. Unfortunately, the porn industry targets boys his age and sites they tend to frequent. Now he is 18, and has been dealing with this addiction for a very long time and it has had very serious consequences on his views towards women in general and on his relationships.
In short — that stuff can mess you up big time and boys get sucked into it FAST and are marketed to at such a young age now days.
I know, just another thing to scare you!! Sorry!
As the live in stepmom to a 15 yo boy I am here to warn. Just wait until your “good” conditioners and body lotions start to disappear. We’ll talk again then. You have lots of time before that tho.
I absolutely LOVE this new design! Took me a few visits today to figure out to click that link to get here!
My kids are 23, 19 and 17 but they held onto two things that I told them at puberty.
1. ” I don’t care what you’ve done or what is going on but if you are ever somewhere and things aren’t “right” or people are doing things that make you uncomfortable, I will come and get you no matter where I am or what time it is, I don’t care if you’ve been drinking or you’re naked on the lawn… just please call.”
2. If you ever feel stupid saying no to something that other kids think is cool, use me as an excuse. “No, way I can’t carry your cigarettes, my mom is a raving lunatic and checks my bag every night” or “I can’t drink beer cause my mom has like this medical thing where she can smell like 10X better than normal humans and she would KNOW”.
While I do not have kids I have to say my parents were progressive for their generation and pretty much followed the advice similar to what danielle gave above. LilZ knows you and he knows you know him. You have raised him spectacualrly so far and created a bond that will keep him safe through puberty. Not to say he won’t try to pull stuff. I mean he is a teenage BOY after all.
Man I can’t wait to strart hearing these stories!
Ummm…so you’re telling me that feeling of “make it stop” never goes away?!?! I have a;ready been feeling it with mine and he’s well…a bit younger! Hrmmm. gonna have to rethink my strategy.