This past weekend was a whirlwind around here. Yesterday, the twins left at 6:30 AM to go to an indoor track meet two hours away–their first one of the season. We had planned to join them later on to see their races after we took care of some things around the house. So I packed a lunch for hubs and I, Bugs took off to go hunting, and while hubs ran some errands, I picked up and cleaned up around the house, culminating in loading the dishwasher and starting it.
Off we went to Lynchburg where the meet was being held, and what a great time it was! Those kids are all so amazingly fast. Buzzard was running the 1600 meter event (about a mile), and Roo was running the 3200 meter event (about 2 miles). We watched as the races went on around the track, while pole vaulting went on in the center area.
Finally, Buzzard was up. I joined Roo in the infield shouting encouragement while Hubs shouted from the bleachers every time Buzzard went around the track. 1600 meters was 12 laps, and Buzzard leaped out in front from the beginning. We weren’t sure if this was a good strategy or not. At the end, we could see he was tiring, but he kept his pace. Unfortunately, another runner saved a sprint for the end, and as they rounded the last corner, he drew even with Buzzard. Ear splitting screams ensued from all around, and they maintained a neck and neck race down to the finish line. Buzzard came in second by 18 milliseconds! (The fastest time for that event was an amazing 4:52!) It was actually one of the most exciting races I’ve seen. He did a great job, and he and the winner, I was proud to see, shook hands after they caught their breath.
Buzzard, with Roo cheering him on. Taken with phone.
Roo ran a couple of hours later–24 laps. He actually ran a perfect race keeping each lap at roughly the same speed. I was amazed at how he was able to maintain the same speed without benefit of any type of timing device, while I kept track of the laps on my phone. He ran the 3200 meter event in 11:25, and was so pleased he’d done so well, as were we.
Roo. Taken with iPhone.
We stopped for Mexican food on the way home, and the topic of the Cowboys football tragedy came up in conversation. Roo said he knew about drugs and alcohol, and that I didn’t need to beat a dead horse. I told him it was my prerogative, and my responsibility to beat the horse to the bare bone, and he’d better get used to it. He rolled his eyes at me.
Sunday, both Buzzard and Roo had their first driving lesson at 9:30. After the lesson, Buzzard relayed the car conversation with the other kids while driving. Somehow, the topic of drugs came up, which set in motion all kinds of comments about the illicit things. Finally, Roo shakes his head, and says, “I don’t get it.”
“What?” I ask. “You don’t get why someone does drugs?” Guessing at what he’s thinking.
“Yeah,” he says. “I mean, so you have a couple of hours where your brain is all goofy and you can’t remember anything. Then you come out of it, and NOTHING IS CHANGED! Everything is still the same, AND all your problems are still there, AND NOW you feel like crap.” He shakes his head and again says, “I don’t get it.”
I just pray he keeps with this line of thinking. Life isn’t what it used to be when I was growing up. The worst thing you had to contend with when I was a Freshman or sophomore at school was someone smoking a regular cigarette in the bathroom. Maybe a joint at a football game. But in the two short years from sophomore to Senior, I was hearing more and more about harder drugs, mostly at parties. Nowadays, it feels like it’s rampant. I think the more we talk to our kids, and Beat the dead horse, the more we know where they are and who they are with, the more we know about what’s out there and talk about it, the better armed we are to help them. I don’t think my kids are any more immune to it than anyone else, and I would never presume to think it couldn’t possibly happen to them. But I want to arm myself against it as much as I can. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
AllThingsBoys Blog 
I am glad to hear that you are a mom who drills until it hits home with no doubt. those are the caring and loving and best moms!!!!
I know I sound like a nag, but I’m not here to be their friend…Then again, even our friends who care can sound like nags sometimes! 🙂
exactly! and with your own children, it is worth every effort, as they will always be your kids, even if they get upset at times!
Amen!
You’re no nag and the boys are impressive, Arnel 🙂 Roo’s got a good head on his shoulders 🙂 Way to go mom 🙂
Thank you JM. Sometimes I’m a nag, although I usually point it out, and make it clear, “I know I’m nagging, BUT…” LOL. Roo does–they all do really.
They’re great kids. You’re a great mom. Stupid just ain’t part of the equation.
Well, thank you! I do have my moments though where one (including myself) might wonder… 🙂
Awesome post, Arnel. lol uncanny! Tell your boys that they ain’t the only one’s who don’t get it 🙂 that last line of your post…..that’s so important. This is a two bottle a day for 12 years man saying so, Arnel 😦
Oh, well then I’m doubly glad you wrote instead of opening those bottles!
thanks Arnel hugs I’m glad too 🙂
🙂
I totally agree with you – open lines of communication with your kids is so very important, and you can’t talk to them enough about it. I have never said my kids couldn’t go to parties, although they do terrify me these days, but I have taught them that it is much more fun to watch the drunks and stoners make fools out of themselves than it is to partake themselves. I knew I was getting somewhere when my youngest came home from a party and said that I was right. By the way, thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one who gets the roll of the eyes from the kids :).
It’s true! Hopefully nothing changes their minds about how they think! And I get eye rolling frequently!
I agree, talk to them as soon as they can understand what you’re trying to convey. I’ve always been very direct with our two children, and I think they’ve appreciated my openness. They are 18 and 20 years old now and seem to have good heads on their shoulders. (so far so good!)
Sounds like you can at least breath. Although these days, I feel like you are never out of the woods! I think that is where God comes in. We must have faith, as well.
If that’s Lynchburg TN, that’s a pretty appropriate place to have a conversation about alcohol (which is itself a drug). I think your boy’s insight into drugs is a wise one, and you’re right to encourage that thinking. Having said that (and to some degree playing devil’s advocate), I do think that engaging in responsible drug use can create a situation in which you ARE fundamentally changed after the drug experience. Although in writing that, it occurred to me that irresponsible drug use, which is far more common, can also fundamentally change a person
All I really have to go on is my brother who is pretty much non functional. Paints a vivid and scary picture–and one I’d like to stay away from!
It’s hard work raising your kids and especially teens and parents have to be tough and persevere against their kids objections…we started when our kids were young and talked about it openly and said what drugs did to the brain etc. …by the time they were teens they were pretty well prepared and opted out of the drug scene for which we were very grateful…Diane
Absolutely! Congrats on doing a great job!
Sounds like you are going good, Arnel. I liked it better when the worst was a skinned knee, and THAT we just kissed and made it better. Now, the last one’s been gone for … oh my gosh,13 years and I find watching them take life’s knocks is so much harder. Once a Mum, always a Mum.
Boy that’s the truth! Life has so many more complications now than it used to. I think it liked it simpler.
I think most people like it simpler, and yet it keeps getting more complicated … why is that?
I don’t know. I think we don’t know what to do when things are a little too quiet, simple or uncomplicated. I think we feel something wrong if they aren’t simple.
… perhaps eh, if it’s too simple people think they are missing the point …
Second guessing yourself is never good… 🙂