I have awesome kids and I love each and every one of them more than life itself. It’s just that well… they’re teenagers. And, teenagers are sometimes just… kind of weird. There, I said it!
As parents, we never admit it, but it’s true! We all work so incredibly hard to show the “normal” side of our kids – how wonderful, accomplished, smart and funny they are, but the truth is, behind the scenes every parent I know is baffled by just how weird their kid is – at least sometimes, anyway.
Will they grow out of it? Are they that weird all the time or just at home? Were they born that way or did our family make them that way? Maybe it’s just a genetic thing. If so, they surely picked up their weirdness from my husband’s side of the family, because I’m definitely not that weird.
Anyway, one day, while I was wallowing in my “what the heck happened to my now weird children and where did I go wrong” moment, I realized something. My kids act just like our cats and our cats are most definitely weird.
I’m not sure how we ended up with three cats, but we did. One was intentional, the other two just showed up at our doorstep needing a home. And, being the sucker I am for cuddly creatures that purr, I took them in. Needless to say, guess who takes care of them? I know, I walked right into that one!
Despite the challenge of keeping up with three cats in the house, it’s taught me a thing or two about raising teenagers. The truth is, there’s a rather humorous parallel between the way my kids act and the way my cats act that has given me a fresh perspective on life with my kids.
To toss just a little humor into your day, here’s my slightly “hiss-terical purr-spective” of why I think teenagers are really cats in disguise.
They Sleep A LOT
Just like cats, teenagers love their slumber. Given the chance, they’ll spend 18 hours a day snoozing or in full-blown couch potato mode. Try to wake them from their blissful sleep and you just might get clawed to death. On a good day, they might just hide under the covers, under their bed, in the closet or on their closet shelf. Beware though, if you do have to wake them, I’d suggest arming yourself with a sturdy shield just in case they unleash on you.
They’re Moody and Unpredictable
Let’s face it, our kid’s moods keep us guessing. We never know from one moment to the next what kind of mood they’re in, how long it will last or whether they’ll start hissing at us when we least expect it. One minute they’re snuggled up against us looking for a back rub and the next we’re completely blindsided when they pounce on us for something we said (or didn’t), did (or didn’t) or, for no reason at all because, well… they can.
They Only Come Around When They Want Something
Have you ever noticed how cats come around only when they want to be petted, fed or just need a little back scratch? Yeah, well… the same applies to teenagers. When they need gas money, want to buy a new shirt, need help with their homework or they want to buy a new video game, they come around looking all sweet and cuddly. But, don’t be fooled by their cuteness. They’re master manipulators often using the art of purr-suasion to get exactly what they want. The rest of the time? They’re nowhere to be seen.
They’re Cuddly… When They Want to Be
Grab those moments when you can because, just like cats, our kids are cuddly and “huggy” only when they feel like it. Beware though, if you move in for a hug when they’re not in the mood, they might claw your eyes out.
They Hide When They Want to Be Alone
Ever wonder if you have any kids at all? Honestly, there are times I forget my kids even home. They hide in their little corner of the world listening to mew-sic (okay… I had to throw that one in there), sleeping or chatting with their friends. I mean, I get it. They need their space. But, just like my cats never come when I call them, neither do my kids.
They’re Picky Eaters
Don’t our kids know they shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them? Apparently not, because every time I slave over a hot stove and serve up a new dish, they sit at the kitchen table acting like they’re choking on a massive hairball. If you do decide to cook a nice meal, your best bet is to toss their food in a bowl and put it on their nightstand so they can crawl out of their hiding spot and graze when they’re hungry.
They’re Sneaky
Oh yeah… teenagers are impressively sneaky when they want to be, just like cats. They’re masters at prowling around, hiding everything they don’t want you to know or see, tossing in a handful of deceit every now and then and cleverly manipulating the truth. When they want to escape they’re fully adept at climbing trees, walking on fences and hurdling 8-foot objects. I know. You may not think some of the stuff they pull is even paws-ible (oh, I mean possible), but it is!
They Land on Their Feet Even After Doing Something Stupid
They Land on Their Feet Even After Doing Something StupidJust like cats, teenagers never seem to give any serious forethought before jumping into something. They couldn’t see a cat-astrophe coming if it was staring them in the face! But, ever notice how they always seem to land on their feet despite the stupid stunts they pull? It’s amazing they’re even alive – both my kids and my cats.
Armed with little more than a heap of overconfidence, they leap when there’s litter-ally no landing in sight, they climb without having any idea how they’re going to get down and they chase after things with absolutely no idea why they’re chasing it or what they’re going to do with it once they catch it.
They Think They’re Better Than We Are
Gods and goddesses of the world, that’s what they are. Teenagers, just like cats, think they’re SO much better than we are. They walk around sporting an air of confidence like they own the place thinking they know absolutely everything and nothing we have to say offers any relevance to them whatsoever… until that is, they find themselves stuck in a tight spot and need rescuing. Typically, I just let my cats and my kids suffer (just a tad) before I rush in and save them. It’s my way of making sure they learn their lesson and don’t take me fur granted.