Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Adolescence/Teen Years (07/16/09)
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TITLE: I'm a Secret Agent | Previous Challenge Entry
By Angeline oppenheimer
07/23/09 -
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This undercover surveillance act allows me to gather a whole lot of facts that my new teen might otherwise be leery to tell me. Food always does the trick. Just make sure all portions are mega-sized and always include barrels of liquids (they prefer anything with sugar)--they can huff everything down in a puff. While they are eating, I'll be slowly washing the dishes and since I blend well behind the kitchen sink, I'm allowed into their conversation without being part of it.
Adolescent boys love food and yes, girls--well, I already knew but their conversation confirms it. They talk about school girls and who is going out with who. They talk about their teachers--the good, bad and lazy ones. They tease each other about pet peeves and more--the kind of music they like, what makes them tick and what ticks them off. They laugh, they talk and they're not quite aware that there's a secret agent out there gathering the facts, not to use against them, but to aid me in this difficult process of getting to the heart of a teen.
So what have I learned from my fly-on-the-wall vantage point? Plenty:
* I learn that my son is a class clown--he makes people laugh and of course, no serious teacher likes that. I don’t either; after all, I didn't send him to school to entertain kids. Put that down on my agenda--jesters are only found on HBO--not classrooms.
* He is the wing man -- he puts wings on cupid-struck boys--they come to him to be the go-between. I smile--wing man?
* He thinks his Science teacher is stupid, the rest of the boys do too; so I know his complaints about this lame teacher is at least valid.
* One of his good friends just wrote a song for a girl and they are sprouting ideas of when, how and where he should sing it. My boy is still unattached (as far as my spy works tells me) and I'm happy to know I don't have to worry about dating just yet...
That and many little nuances of interaction between him and his friends can only be gathered when they are in their own elements. These observations fill in the gaps between what he actually tells me and what he is in the presence of his friends and of course, the things that talk about gives me a lot of grounds to cover. Not that I crave them, I would rather be blissfully ignorant and happy and but this crucial stage of his development requires some vigilant monitoring. I wish, though...
I'm happy to report that I've yet to be busted and in the meantime, my facts gathering has provided me with little pieces of the adolescent puzzle, so I can better put them together.
P.S: I've also hidden behind wheels, with my natural antennae up and eyes behind my head (God knows we have need of that) and done some serious undercover work when he and his friends are trapped in the confines of the car, at my mercy to take them places.... One day, when he's grown and has kids of his own, I'll teach him these tricks, if he hasn't already found out.
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