Editor's Blog
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Teenage boys are great – it’s official
11 October 2009
An encouraging snippet on the news the other day found that 70% of teenage boys were caring, hardworking, ambitious and home-loving.
I have always thought the depiction of adolescent boys by media and politicians is grossly unfair. It’s not just my own boys who are lovely – it’s all of their friends too.
I know the survey results leave a question mark over the remaining 30% but let’s celebrate a bit of good news for once...
The fledgling is taking flight
18 September 2009
My older son has now been in Europe for half of his three-week InterRailing trip. Stepdad Martin commented today that life is very peaceful without him. More accurately, the peace comes from the absence of Martin and Alistair clashing antlers together – when Martin’s not here, Alistair is a pretty mild character in this house.
Mind you, his European travels have not been without some conflict. Before they left Alistair and his three friends were practically coming to blows over tents v. youth hostels, travelling northwards on the east or west side of the Adriatic ... Stubborn and opinionated the lot of them. Three weeks is a long time together. Still, step parents and friends alike, no relationship is perfect. It’s all good learning stuff, though.
My younger son Duncan is back at school and he and I are starting to get used to being the only two people in the house. (Martin is regularly away three days a week.) It feels very quiet. Duncan said. ‘Oh, Mum, it’s not worth cooking for just the two of us.’ And I admit we’ve been eating our evening meals in front of the telly. Just two at the kitchen table feels a bit hollow.
This is my first experience of an emptying nest. Alistair is off to university two days after he gets back from Europe. And while I am happy that everything is running along according to plan I can’t help but feel a little bit sad and nostalgic ...
A great flapping of wings
21 August 2009
Following my last posting there is action. First off, Alistair went into school to pick up his A level results. While I am a very proud mum it is sufficient to say here that he achieved the grades he needed and has a confirmed place at the uni of his choice. Happy boy. I hope that any readers in the same boat have equally good news from their sons and daughters.
As I have stumbled through life, however, I have (very slowly) become more philosophical and conclude that if you don’t succeed in the way you hoped, then it wasn’t meant to be at this time. Hard for teenagers and people in their early twenties to feel like that, though. I remember well when my own career ambitions hit a wall that it seemed a disaster and that my life would not be worth living. But that is a self-defeating attitude. It’s the people who don’t give up and fight on anyway who seem to do the best of all.
Duncan has now been on his school rugby tour of South Africa for a week and has one week left to go. He is having the time of his life and, although it has almost involved remortgaging the house to pay his way, this was an opportunity I didn’t want him to miss.
My hubby is an avid choral singer and is off in Tuscany on a singing tour. So here I am in August, catching up on the admin of life because it’s just too hot and too holidayish to be really creative and dynamic. So, I have done the biannual scrubbing out of the chicken shed with jeyes fluid; cleared out the garage; tiled the wall above the cooker so there is a splashback (that I have been meaning to do for four years); fumigated my sons’ bedrooms, etc. Not very exciting but necessary and all preparation for when September comes knocking...
Summer holiday blues
7 August 2009
A certain lethargy hangs around our household in this almost tropical weather. Alistair (18) hasn’t been able to find a paid job but has started volunteering at a charity shop. He’s off interrailing in September prior to university in October so, although I have told him to enjoy the opportunity to read lots of books, even he shows signs of twiddling his thumbs. Duncan (16) swings between heavy rugby training sessions in advance of a school rugby tour, playing tennis and – in all the spaces between – getting bored.
The boys usually see their US-based father in the summer. Over the last few years they have been out there to spend two or three weeks with him. So they have been lucky, in one way. Dad, though, is now unemployed so that ain’t happening this year.
There’s a feeling someone has pressed the pause button. Everything is lining up to burst into life – and then it will feel all too soon. They are liked coiled springs waiting ... but right now they are in the (arguably) enviable position of having too little to do and too much time.
A half-term, mid-exam breather
28 May 2009
Alistair is wandering about the garden reciting history to himself. Duncan has just got up, and seen his friend Jack off on the bus back home. They camped in sleeping downstairs last night: one on the sofa, the other on the (hard wooden) floor.
It may be half term but it’s pretty dull this year. Apart from meeting the odd friend, and occasional games of tennis, revision dominates. I have plenty of freelance work to do, too and, being without wheels with an engine attached at present, can do no more than drag them out for the odd walk or bike ride.
Hey, but A levels and GCSEs only happen once in a lifetime (I trust!). It’s when they are over that I have cause for angst. I remember watching Wimbledon end-to-end after my own O leves. What are they going to do once that is wrapped up?
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