We have a teenager in the house

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Having an opinion about teenagers when I don't have one is like people talking about kids without having their own. It doesn't mean that they are not entitled to their opinions. It's just that their opinions are laced with a mix of fantasy and delusions!

But, I feel very qualified (NOT!) to talk about teenagers, because I have one in the house. Our four legged friend, Henry is a teenager in doggie years.

(2*7=14). See, I did my math. 

Henry, our teenager is a bundle of contradictions. A sweet symphony on one hand, a bitter discord on the other. 

He LIKES whom he likes he likes. The rest are treated with absolute disdain and suspicion. 

He runs away when its time to come inside the home, leave a play-area, or his buddy friends or anything he deems unnecessary. In fact, running away seems like his favorite activity.

When I ask him to do something, he lifts his doggie paws in the air and tells me, "I don't want to. I want to do what I want to do". 

He wants to go through many wardrobe changes in a day. Should the collar be pointed up or down, or the nails clipped this way or that? 

He's a gentle, sweet soul. He only longs for a affectionate pat on the head. A little bit of time, and attention. In return, he gives you his unfailing love.

Teenagers - a bundle of contradictions. They are deeply sensitive yet equally flippant. Wise beyond their years, yet childish. Brutally honest and open yet secretive. 

Teenagers can be tough on a parent, make you weary, and zap you of all of your patience and energy. But on the flip side, this time can be so completely rewarding. 

“The young always have the same problem - how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another.” ― Quentin Crisp

As their independence blooms, so does their vocabulary. And, you sometimes hear lovely things like, "You're my best friend, Mommy. I love you soooo much. I want to keep you forever!" 

“I think being a teenager is such a compelling time period in your life--it gives you some of your worst scars and some of your most exhilarating moments. It's a fascinating place; old enough to feel truly adult, old enough to make decisions that affect the rest of your life, old enough to fall in love, yet, at the same time too young (in most cases) to be free to make a lot of those decisions without someone else's approval.” 
― Stephenie Meyer, The Twilight Saga

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