One less...

My boy has been home for less than two months. During that two months, he has made me so proud that he is my child and also so frustrated with him. Another person pinned it perfectly. "It's like he's two separate people. One second, he's cute and wonderful and the next, he's a giant douche asshole." (Paraphrasing.) And that person was right on target.

Last night, that giant douche asshole showed up again. And it got so out of line, that I sent the boy to his room so that I could calm down. Of course, he didn't actually go to his room. He went outside and I just kept getting more and more frustrated. He was showing his lack of respect for me and my authority within my home. Really, me sending him to his room was for me to calm down and not as a disciplinary measure for him but it was just the whole "I'll do what I want to do" attitude. Other parents would recognize this as the terrible teens.

Last night, I couldn't handle it anymore. After less than two months of my precious Bear being home, I had to tell the "terrible teen" part of him to find somewhere else to live. Both were gone in less than an hour.

I cried before I said it. I cried after and even after he left. Sleeping was so impossible that it's almost laughable. And as much as it hurts me to say it, I don't think that he'll be able to come home for a while. There are some lessons that only adulthood can teach.

I like to think that I have very few rules and they're easy to follow.

1. No tobacco or drugs. Drinking is permissible if supervised. (Don't need any underage drinking charges)
2. Do fair share of chores. (Cook two nights a week, kitchen two nights, trash two nights and help with weekend chores)
3. Go to school or work. If you are attending school but on a break, work part time or volunteer part time. (20 hours per week.)
4. Participate in the few family functions we have. (Birthdays, holidays, etc)
5. Be respectful to others in the household.

See, not that hard? The thing is, I did the whole "terrible teens" thing with him once. He's an adult now. I don't have to go through it again, and I won't. So, as much as it pains me, he needs to find his footing. I'll be here to pick him back up if he falls but he needs to stretch his wings out some in the real world.