Am I "Old-Fashioned" All of a Sudden?

Okay, so there are lots of reasons why I love Facebook. I know what I said... it's a place for people to hang out that are too lazy to blog. And that is still true, but as I discovered last month, I was one of those people who was too lazy to blog. Anyway, I'm getting distracted from my original point.

One of the many reasons I love FB is because I can spy on my kids and follow what they are chatting online about with friends, etc. It's very fun and very effective.

Example:

Last Friday I picked Taylor up from school. He had a big History test on Friday that I had spent an hour (on my birthday) grilling him for so he would be prepared. This was our conversation:
Me: So how did it go?
Him: Don't ask. (huh?)
Me: What do you mean?
Him: Notice how I'm not wearing something? (his girlfriend had given him an engraved dog tag necklace for his birthday... it was a very clever idea and very Taylorish. I was quite impressed that she thought of something that perfect for him. But now, the necklace was gone!)
Me: Did she break up with you?
Him: Yeah, but she had "L" do it.
Me: when are you going to swear off "girls" for a while and just be friends with them?
Him: I think I will be able to do that now....
Me: You keep saying that, but it never seems to happen.
Him: Well, it will now.

For the record, it has been only 72 hours since his heart was broken by "E" and he just posted on FB that he is "in a relationship" with "K". He hasn't even been back to school yet since I have 3 of the 4 kids home sick today. How does this happen so quick? I think it's the power of cell phones and texting. (No joke on the texting round the clock.... we are driving to school at 6:20 a.m. and his cell phone is vibrating.)

So if you are FB friends with my first born son, please feel free to give him some online "ribbing" for his behavior. Seriously, I dont' want my son being labeled as the "ladies man" or the "player". Yet, I fear that's the road he's headed down. Why does he feel so emotionally "needy" that he always has to be in some kind of "relationship"? And it's funny too, because it's all virtual. He spends very little time with these girls in person. I know, because I keep close tabs on his whereabouts. Am I just not seeing this as the new "normal" for teens? Because, I am suddenly feeling very old fashioned about now.

(And please don't fall over in shock because I posted twice in one day... I told you the real me was back!)

Heaven Help Us

When I was 13 years and 11 months old, there was this dance at school. It was a big deal and everyone I knew was going... except me. My parents stood by our church policy of not going to dances before age 14. If the dance had been the night before my birthday, I'm pretty sure my dad would still have said "NO". I remember having heated discussions with him about going to this dance... which says a lot... my dad and I rarely ever had heated discussions about anything! I begged and pleaded, but he still said, "NO." I didn't have a special guy that I wanted to dance with, I just wanted to go to the dance and hang out with my friends.

Fast forward to tonight... I put everyone to bed and I'm hearing muted sounds coming from Taylor's room. He always plays his ipod to go to sleep, so at first I was thinking it was just his music, but it sounded different... so I investigated... okay, okay... I eavesdropped! I put my ear to the door and heard him talking, but in his 13 year old "mumble" language, I couldn't understand a word... so I did the next best thing... I opened the door. Sure enough, he's on the cell phone, laying on his bed in the dark, playing his ipod (for cover, maybe???)

Taylor: "What?!?" he says.

Me: "Dude, it's 9:30... get of the phone and go to bed!"

Taylor: in hushed tones, "Gotta go... mumble... mumble... bye." click.

Me: Give me the cell phone.....

Taylor: What??!!??

Me: If I catch you on the phone this late on a school night again, you're going to be in big trouble!

I left, leaving the cell phone on the nightstand.

I'm pretty sure... no, I'm positive.... he was talking to a girl from school. Guys don't gab on the phone... they text... but no "talking" per se... I thought I was ready for him to get "into girls"... but here's the thing... I'm NOT! Eric and I have already taken the liberty of "snooping" through his yearbook and a girl from school (who I will call "J.C.") took up an entire page. Very suspicious. Taylor hasn't told me who this girl is, but he doesn't need to... We are pretty savvy snoopers around here.

Here's the dilemma... only 5 more days of school left! Then what will my excuse be to get him off the phone??? I'm seriously thinking about imposing a 9:00 p.m. cell phone "curfew"... something like he'll have to give me the phone at night and I'll give it back to him in the morning... what do you think? Help, people, please... I don't want to screw this up! Taylor is a great kid with a very strong conscious... I don't' think he'll push any boundaries, but it scares the "you know what" out of me anyway!

And Dad, if I haven't thanked you before for sticking to your guns... I'm thanking you now! At least I will be able to say, "My parents did the same thing to me and I survived it just fine!"