of Teenage boys and Puberty

I had an Archeology Professor who always stressed the importance of creating "rituals" or rites of passage for our children, he was always lamenting how these things had been lost in our culture and how crucial they were to helping teens grow up. For example a Mom taking her daughter to buy her first bra followed by lunch and some grown up activities, is common, but boys don't tend to have these sort of things. So when my oldest was turning 13 we decided to forgo a kiddie party (which he didn't want) We let him invite 10 buddies and we took them all to a Skate Park and then to Hooters, which we should of down backwards, becaseu we were stuck with a bunch of stinky boys the rest of the afternoon! You all know my love is Hooters is boundless...they had a hoot! Ate like savages, took pictures with all the girls, and of course they fully humiliated my son by having him stand on a chair while they sang Happy Birthday. And he got a t-shirt with all the hooters girls autographs! So cute.

A couple of days after, he is sitting on the floor of my room and I am watching TV. We are carrying on some sort of conversation about school, when he suddenly says " Because you know now I am a MAN" OK- the Hooters thing apparently really went to his head...

Mama: Uh, yeah?
Boy: Yeah Mom, now I am a man.
Mama: How so honey?
Boy: Cuz, I got hair
Mama: huh?
Boy: Ya Mom, I got HAIR DOWN THERE.
Mama: *roll over, bury your head in the pillow and die laughing*

You know when your parents used to talk to you about the Birds and the bees, and it was SO embarrassing, well, guess what, it is JUST as embarrassing when you are the PARENT!

Oh, TOVA DARLING, thank you for embracing our awkwardness...