If you’ve raised your kids right, they eventually become independent little human beings. As they get older they become more and more self-sufficient until you reach those pesky teenage years when they suddenly are so self-sufficient, that they feel like they no longer need their parents. (It’s a lie, they still need you). My (not so) little guy has certainly reached that stage. Rarely does he venture from his room unless he’s in search of food, or forced out by one of us.
This was one of those rare evenings when he graced us with his presence. His computer kept getting the ‘green screen of death’, so with little else to do up in his room, he ventured downstairs. He promptly plopped between us on the couch and started chatting about Christmas and other assorted things. Rolf asked if he had ever seen the movie Elf, which he admitted he had not. With lightning quick speed, hubby located the movie and started it playing. At first the teen acted like it wasn’t interesting. Blah! Movies with the parents. But before long he was hooked. It was past bedtime, he was out of his room, and the three of us stayed up late watching Elf. He even snuggled up against me just a bit. My mom heart melted.
As the parent of a just barely teen you never know how many cuddles, snuggles and hugs you’ve got before they’re completely grown up. I was practically giddy at the chance to sit as a family and watch movies together. It’s really these ‘ordinary,’ but not so ordinary, moments that we have over the years that I cherish. It meant practically nothing to my kiddo, but it meant the world to me. Hubby knew it, and in the future looking back, I hope that my kiddo knows it too.