Sunday, November 30, 2008

I Need A T-Shirt That Says "I Survived My Teenager's Party"


My oldest daughter who just turned sixteen in September approached John and I a few weeks ago about throwing a Christmas party for fifteen of her friends. John and I looked at each other, I remember our eyebrows being furrowed and saying "We'll think about it." We weren't all that concerned about how she'd survive it but how we would. Fifteen teenagers in the house?


So after some initial ground rules which we all agreed on, one of which was no one sneaking in any alcohol, the party was a go. John told her that if we caught anyone drinking we would be forced to confiscate it, take it upstairs and drink it ourselves. We both laughed thinking it was funny......she did not and gave us what I refer to as the "teenager look". So Friday morning before school I was presented with a long and somewhat unhealthy grocery list. Things like pop, potato chips, cheezies, candy canes and pizza. I suggested a veggie platter........again the look.
After school she went downstairs to create a much more festive atmosphere or so she said. Out came the boxes of Christmas decorations and before you could say "Rudolph" the room was decked out and I mean decked out. It rather looked like there was an explosion in Whoville. I suggested "less is more".


We asked her what they'd be doing at this "party" while we were upstairs. She said, "you know, playing DDR ( Dance Dance Revolution, see here) , talking, maybe Twister. John wasn't too pleased with the Twister part as there were going to be boys and he said he remembered being one. Then she said with a horrified look on her face, "your not going to keep coming down and spying on us are you?". With that we asked her if she would like us to come downstairs and "bust a move" to Madonna just so her friends would have an idea what good dancing was. She stood perfectly still and said, "if that seriously happened I would be scarred for life and please never say "bust a move"again". I forgot how much drama was involved in being a teenager.


Everyone began arriving around 6pm. Most of them I know and they are great kids. Our house has and will continue to be an open to door to them. They have always been very respectful, kind and relatively up front........well, as far as teenagers go. So kids came through and stopped to talk while I made pizzas (yes, they were frozen) and chocolate chip cookies (they were from scratch) before moving on downstairs.


Simba our cat was not in a good mood this evening as his peaceful lifestyle had been disturbed and he was mighty pissed off. So while I was taking the third pizza out of the oven he swiped at my leg to show me his displeasure. So to show him mine I put him outside. Five minutes later I sat down to eat, looked out the backdoor and there he was chowing down on a mouse. He looked at me, dropped it and cocked his head as if to say "So sorry I've been in a pissy mood attacking your leg and all but look I brought you a make up present".


By 11pm John and I were fading fast. I mean if it had of been a Saturday night we could have at least kept it together until 11:30 but at this point it was only the music filtering up from downstairs that was keeping us awake. Around 11:35 it all started breaking up as parents began arriving to pick up their kids.


When I finally locked the door for the night, I thought it ended up being a pretty successful party. Nothing got broken, all of the ground rules remained intact (that I know of), John didn't have to pull out any of his fancy karate moves with any of the boys and I didn't have to scar my daughter for life by dancing to Madonna in front of her friends. Yeah, I'd say pretty successful.

6 comments:

Jean Levert Hood said...

OHMYGOSH, this has me belly laughing in front of my computer!! I will never think of Madonna again without a mental picture of you and John "busting a move." Rich!!!

andrea said...

As mother of a 16 year old how close to home this was! Thanks for the laugh, Melody! But I must be totally uncool (for my own generation I mean -- same as yours) as I have never heard the phrase 'busting a move' and I'll take a pass on Madonna...

Lisa Call said...

This is absolutely hilarious. Fortunately my 16 year old (boy) does not want to have a party at my house but he is well versed in the teenager look. Hm, come to this of it, his 12 year old sister is maybe better at it. She'll have it perfected by the time she becomes a real teen.

Glad you survived!

Ellen said...

Too funny! Did John and you feel a little imprisoned upstairs? With 2 girls, my time is fast approaching so I'm so going to print this out for future reference -this is the way I want them to have a party.
I've decided I'm looking towards you for all my guidance on the matter of raising teenage girls now. Because I'm scared, really scared...

Tracy Helgeson said...

Hahaha this is too funny! My son gives me the "look" too and he also often tells me to "never say that again" I always look around to see who he might be embarrassed in front of but there is never anyone there.

The threat of me dancing in public is always a good to keep them in line too. Although I am sure you and John would look cool dancing.

Sounds like a good party and you stayed up way later than I could have:)

Melody said...

Jean, sorry to have left you with that image.

Andrea, John and I dated during the 80's so Madonna holds a special place for us although I must say lately she is looking a touch "plastic"

Lisa, I wouldn't even know what to do with boys. Girls are hard enough
which you'll soon find out seeing your daughter is now 12

Ellen, I'll give you whatever guidance that I can but my kids aren't adults yet I may be truly screwing up and not know it until later

Tracy, wish I could say John and I looked cool dancing. I mean I think I do but ssssh....John has no rhythm. Don't tell him I told you.