Unconditional Love will only get You so Far

Last week our 16 year old daughter was in no mood to be trifled with. All the signs were there… gray clouds, petulant looks, low monosyllable answers…. (Those who have teenagers know the signs.) This time even her brothers had the good sense to stay away.  Somehow though Dad missed the signs (either that or he is incredible brave).

Dad actually approached his daughter and had the chutzpah to talk to her (while the rest of us cowards stayed away).  I can’t tell you what the conversation topic was during the brief interaction. I can tell you however that it left an effect on Dad.  Upon completion of the father daughter exchange Dad was overheard muttering “unconditional love will only get you so far”.

Wow…. I wonder if our daughter realized what a close call she had?

After all… unconditional love can only get you so far.

I’m the cool mom!

Cher and Wyona in Mermaids
promo photo. Only photo I could
find. I mean.. what does a cool
mom look like?

My 16 year old daughter attends an all girl Catholic High School. One of the school rules is that the girls cannot have any unnatural hair color.  (I’m talking yellow, green, pink…)  My daughter has come to terms with the conditions of her enrollment, but has compensated with additional piercings to her ears.  (Not to worry there is only so much space. Or so I hope.)  My pierced princess wanted to get a band put on her ear, so we went down to our favorite piercing palace (nope it isn’t Claire’s)  to see about adding to the collection. 

When we arrived my daughter and I were greeted, and then she proceeded to the back. After what I would deem a reasonable time to get an ear piercing my daughter came out unhappily, and looked at me. “Show me your ears” She demanded.  I complied. (Her tone brooked no nonsense.) “Ok. Your ears look fine”, she announced.  “What’s all this?”  I asked. 

Well… in order to have a band in the particular place of her choice, her ear had to be a particular shape.  (Our piercing place had standards!)  (I must confess her that I really like Body Exotic – the staff is friendly knowledgeable, and professional.  I recommend them highly.) But I digress... My duaghter had obviously inherited her father's ear shape. 

Driving home I thought two things…

First, I’m the cool mom. It wasn’t me that said no. It was the cool and hip pierced tattoo guy! And second, boy, is my husband going to get an earful about bad genetics!