Secret cure for living with teenagers

I’m still shaking my head. There is a miracle treatment for the syndrome that I was told had no cure. I was told that only time would heal this common malady.

The affliction? Living with teenagers. Perhaps you know the symptoms, Dear Reader. Basically, it’s the rejection of your very being. It’s being told that you are a dumb adult, totally no fun to be around and a colossal bore.

With an 16-year-old and an 18-year-old at home, we are in the thick of it.

Experts offer the not-socomforting comfort, “Hold on. They’ll outgrow this.” Or at least move out, eventually. Today, I say suffer no more, fellow parents of teens. I have stumbled upon the teen antidote. And it’s one word. Puppy. You have to get a puppy. We brought home a three-month old bluetick coonhound mix from the humane society a couple weeks ago. I was thinking this puppy would be a companion and a bandage for my grieving heart after losing my beloved DarlaDog.

That has all been true. But who knew this fur ball also would be a parental self-esteem fairy godmother? “We are boring, awful people,” I apologized to Pup. The teens groan when we walk in the door, as just our presence is a buzz-kill to their airspace.

Puppy greets us like we are back from a 40-year war and she’s been reunited with her longlost love. Teens roll their eyes at the sound of our voices. Pup rolls over so we can scratch her belly. Teens don’t want to be seen in public with us. Pup can’t get enough. “A walk? Down the street? You gotta be kidding!” she must be thinking as she hops from a blowing leaf to her moving shadow, each moment looking over her shoulder to make sure we are experiencing these unbelievable sights together.

It’s wonderful to have a young girl excited to be with us. There are some similarities between the pup and the teenagers. Pup is not a fan of boundaries.