Just a few snippets of conversation in the last 24 hours…

Snippet One:

[10:20 PM] I’m going to bed, mom, because I’m really tired. I know I can finish my homework tomorrow at school because we have all study periods tomorrow.

[11:40 PM] Just because I stayed up talking on the phone and chatting on the computer doesn’t mean I’m not too tired to do my homework. You’re so MEAN and STUPID. [comments slightly edited]

Snippet Two:

[7:10 AM] OK, mom. 10 minutes. I got it.

[7:30 AM, mom ready to go for 1/2 hour, lunch packed, etc.] How was I supposed to know that the 10 minutes were up when you weren’t standing in the kitchen waiting for me for all that time? You’re so MEAN and STUPID. And it’s YOUR FAULT I’m late. [comments slightly edited]

Snippet Three:

[7:40 AM] Bye mom. Love you. Call you after school. Have a great day.

Snippet Four:

[10:25 AM, via cell phone] Mom, there’s a bomb threat or something and we’ve all had to leave the school while it’s being searched or something. It’s freezing out here. S and N are going to S’s house to wait for the school to reopen. It’s OK if I go, too, right?

No, it’s not OK. Stay at school until you are allowed to return to the building, and then go to class. If you leave, you won’t know when the school reopens.

I’ll just call the school every now and then [read: maybe once at 2:00 pm] to see if it’s OK to go back or not.

No, I don’t want you to leave. You need to stay there and follow the direction of the police and the administrators.

But it’s FREEZING.

I’m sure they’ll let you back in as soon as possible.

You are so MEAN and STUPID. Wait… the cops are coming out. Something’s going on. I’ll call you later.

[sigh] When do I go back to being nice and smart again?