Usually, I don't think about it. But once in a while I'll read something like this, and realize that I am definitely not cut out to be a parent. Whew.
I mean, I didn't behave much differently than any of these kids - except there was no 'club' scene within 100 miles of our town; we just just hung out in the streets and in the woods - so I know it's a survivable thing. But I just don't think I'd be good at dealing with it if I had a teenage kid of my own.
Sorry dad!
They have a ritual here in Norway when all the 18-19 year olds are graduating from their equivalent of high school. They all dress in red overalls for a few weeks and party hearty, sanctioned by a committee in certain places. The night before May 17, Norway’s national day, is generally an all night party and all the students march in the parade the next day, still drunk and/or hungover after no sleep.
Since this is all out in the open and everyone goes through it, I think it makes it all easier to deal with as a parent. Not that I won’t feel a great deal of angst when my two girls do this.
that sounds like a better way to do it.
is there as much crass teenage rebellion in Norway as there is in the US?
is there as much crass teenage rebellion in Norway as there is in the US?
I don’t think so, or at least it seems not. You have your troubled kids, but for the most part the lack of a real crime problem extends to the teens as well. I don’t worry about my girls when they are teens here as much as I would if we were there, because I know they are getting a decent education and are taught stuff like sex ed already from fifth grade (my oldest just went through it). It is more difficult to rebel against what the adults treat as normal growing up behaviour.
It probably helps a lot that the living standards here make grocery store workers basically affluent by most world standards.
is Lilyhammer a fair representation of the country? (assuming you’ve seen it)
No-one thinks they’re cut out to be a parent do they? I certainly didn’t – until it happened – and then you learn as you go. If you’ve been bought up well then chances are you’ll bring your kids up well too. At least that’s my experience of the whole fatherhood thing.
But the teenage years can’t take their time getting here. My daughter is 8 and my son is 3 so I have a few years to prepare myself.
No-one thinks they’re cut out to be a parent do they?
yeah. i suppose that’s probably true. daunting!