Progress

No, my teen has not turned into an angel over night - but we have had some progress in our relationship. She plays basketball (and is pretty good at it) and lately I've been driving her and her friend to all of the games. Well, on Friday she said she'd be staying at Chelsea's place Saturday night and that Chelsea's mom & dad were going to drive them to the game on Sunday. I assumed that I'd be staying at home because she didn't want me to go to her games before. I figured I was just "allowed" to go now because I was her ride.

So when she left on Saturday to go to Chelsea's she said, "So, I'll see you tomorrow at 10?"

I was kind of dumbfounded.

"For the game mom. It's at 10."

"Do you want me to come?"

"Well, ya..."

So, she actually wanted me there! To me that is progress.

She may not be an angel but on Sundays - game days - she's pretty darned close.

Sleepy Teens

One of the problems I have every single day with my daughter is getting her out of bed. Every single day her alarm clock goes off and she ignores it for a bit and then she hits snooze. And it goes off and she ignores it and hits snooze. This can go on for hours. I try to get her up and moving before I leave the house at 7:30 am but it doesn't always happen.

And when I try to wake her up she is just nasty. She is cranky, she yells, she hides under the covers. It's pure torture - for everyone in the household.

So what can you do if you have a sleepy teen like I do? I did some peeking around and here are some suggestions I came up with (and I'm not saying that any of these will work! They are just suggestions from other desperate parents):

• Take them to the doctor for a full check up - there are sometimes physical reasons or mental health issues involved.
• Water - if they don't get up they do get wet
• Consistent revoking of privileges - cell phone, tv, computer, etc.
• Monitoring of diet and exercise - these things can affect how well you sleep
• Minimize over stimulation in the last hours of the day

These are just a few suggestions from the readers at Denise's Parenting Teens Blog. Stop by and read the responses from the February 27th entry, 17 Year Old Won't Wake Up - Any Advice?

Chris Brown and Rhianna - Is there a real lesson there for teens?

Three weeks ago Chris Brown and his girlfriend, the beautiful singer Rhianna hit the newstands. There had been a huge fight involving physical violence and charges were laid. Is this just another tidbit of celebrity news? Maybe. But there can be a lesson in there for teens.

Domestic violence is real and it doesn't just happen in trailer parks and in the ghettos. It happens in real life. While Chris and Rhianna may not be the best example of "real life" celebs are real to teens.

Here's some facts about domestic violence and teens:

• Of tweens between the ages of 11-14, 62% say they have friends who have been verbally abused by a girlfriend/boyfriend (Liz Clairborne Inc. study, 2008)
• 1 our of every 3 teens says that they know of a friend who has been physically abused (slapped, kicked, choked, etc) by a boyfriend or girlfriend (Liz Clairborne Inc. study, 2005)
• Almost 80% of teen girls who have been physically abused in an intimate relationship continue to date their abuser (City of New York, Teen Relationship Abuse Fact Sheet, March 1998)
• 30% of young women between the ages of 15-19 who are killed each year were killed by their boyfriend/husband (City of New York, Teen Relationship Abuse Fact Sheet, March 2008)

Shocking isn't it? I think the one that got to me the most is the statistic about how 80% of teen girls that are abused continue to date their abuser. The question is why?

Hopefully though, with this celeb news coming about about Rhianna and Chris, teens will start to talk about teen dating violence because if they don't talk about it there will never be enough help.

This is part 2 of a fictional story. If you haven't read the first part go here to read it now.

It's about a girl that gets grounded and manages to find some trouble anyway - even grounded and in her room!

How Much Trouble Can I Get Into Sitting In My Room? Part 2

"Frank Davis " visited all the fora "Sunnydae " had,
spewing his philosophy.

Sure he was banned/gagged on a couple, which I wanted.
This would give him a chip on his shoulder, build up a
following of the most backward people on Forumcity so
when he began his own forum, 'Troll Town' , he'd get a
lot of hits.

It only took two days for Frank to become the best friend
of the guys who had body odor and Troll Town was an
instant hit, and Frank so popular there were squads of idiots
lining up to be his 'mods '.

I appointed a guy I imagined had one hell of a beer belly,
bathed every Sunday, and had fallen out of High School who
used the name, "BigTractor " as Frank 's 'right hand man.'

It was incredible to post crap and have every stupid thing
I typed lapped like cream. To be the most popular person
in the 'world' as Frankdavis , while Sunnydae was treated
as a roach.

I expected someone would see thru my masquerade, realise
Frank was Sunnydae or at least a girl. No one did.

During day light hours I couldn't log on so a lot would
happen and my 'buds' would report to me. Emboldened, I
could attack as I wanted for no matter what kind of check
ran on Frank Davis they'd never connect 'him' to Joan
Farragut, currently an inmate at the Farragut Family Prison.

I didn't have to worry about Internet Costs or I.P as
I linked through a company. It wasn't legal as I wasn't
an employee but Richie Sunder's father worked there,
and gave Richie a user ID.

The login was 'shop', password 'accounts'. At night, no
one would be at shop, certainly not in accounts.

Where other members of Troll Town were trembling about
searches and pings, (one of my 'enemies' was capturing
information and posting it), I was sacrosanct.

Do a search of Frank Davis. Must be millions of them.
Thousands in New York. Hundreds in New York City.

Snatchmail was one of those accounts which only asked
name and password, requiring no other data. It wasn't
like yahoo or hotmail.

My archenemy was Bluehotel. I'm not sure what Frank
did to piss her off but she'd been locked out by my mods,
and kept getting back on using different nicks.

She made threats and I spit on them. She warned she
wouldn't take it and I goaded her to do her best.

She'd been able to infect Sweetie's computer with a
virus, post Diggadog's real name and address, sign
Hurtsalot up for every porn site on the Net, but so
far, Frank couldn't be touched.

Thinking myself invulnerable, supported by googals
of 'buds', on my own forum, (meaning no one could
ban/gag me) I got more boisterous than Sunnydae
would dare.

Bluehotel, who was obviously a nut job of the first
order, promised to 'make me pay.'

As I was on at night and she apparently logged on
from work or wherever she was during the day, the
messages between us were always delayed.

To protect myself, however, when I logged on, I'd go
through a proxy. I'd check the roster of users, making
sure she wasn't on. If she was, I'd stay as Guest, or
log on as Sunny.

Sweet dear Sunnydae, who was cursed by the same
people who kissed Frank 's behind.

Sunny didn't participate in the war. She tried to open
intelligent discussions on various topics. No one was
interested.

Six days after I began my 'sentence' Frank got an
e-mail at snatchmail.com from Bluehotel.

I shut down, switched to Linux, which I had installed on
my 'D' drive. I logged on, went to snatchmail, opened the
message.

Blue 'knew' where I (Frank ) lived and I'd soon see what
she could do.

For a moment I imagined her penetrating the Farragut
Family Prison in Toronto.

I wrote back, 'you're full of beans', then logged onto
Forumcity.

I posted Blue's message verbatim, ridiculed her even
more, posting her e-mail for all to see and tear apart.

I then decided to send Blue a trojan horse. I wasn't the
world's best hacker, but knew Blue was an idiot. I wrap-
ped my malware as an attachment named blue.jpg .

Blue was missing for the next two days, then on the third,
one day before my sentence was up, I received another
email from Blue. I deleted it unread.

I was buoyantly vicious the last night of my sentence
and at two a.m. logged off.

Shortly after nine that morning my cell was opened and
I was allowed to rejoin the family. I was allowed to go
into the backyard, the front porch and throw away the
garbage, but no further.

I could watch television, talk to my friends, but was not
allowed out at night. It didn't matter, I had something
to do at night.

I logged on later than usual. HBO had a great movie and
having not seen television for so long I guess I was
marvelled by it.

As I got onto Troll Town there were nervous;
"Where's Frank ?"
"Did anyone see Frank ?"

"I'm here." I typed.

In seconds came "Thank the Lord! " from Tractor,
"Blue said she'd killed you ."

"Don't feel dead." I replied.

"It was in the newspaper !" Punched in another one.

"What?"

"Didn't you see the News ?"

"I just got in from the dock, haven't seen my family
yet." Frank types.

"I'll send you the URL --
www.dailynews.com/987987/87678/2002712. "

So I open another window and see:

"Frank Davis, thirty four, of 3454 Battery Avenue, was
shot and killed early this morning..."

I hadn't used that address but could imagine a fevered
brain, searching for a Frank Davis who lived in New York
City, pulling data to get the right age.

"Tink contacted the F.B.I. we thought it was you. " Posted
Sneeze.

"Oh." What else could I type? Then, "My wife's busting
a gut, I'll log on later. If I'm still alive."

The joke fell flat.

Was it a coincidence?
Or was it that I had provoked an unbalanced lunatic
to the extreme?

How much trouble can I get into sitting in my room?
Rhetorical question.

Content Source: How Much Trouble Can I Get Into Sitting In My Room? Part 2 - Bukisa.com

This is part 3 of an ongoing story - if you want to read part one go here and if you want to read part 2 go here.

The Head Cheerleader Chapter 3

Nicole wiped away the tears from her eyes. Leah got out of the car and went around to open the door for Nicole. Nicole got in and Leah hurried around. She got in and closed the door quickly. She started the car and peeled out.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"It is not nothing if your crying like that. There's tissues in the glove compartment."

"Thanks. It'sjust that Steve Hunt said that if I didn't go to prom with him he was going to tell everyone my secret. Which not even my parents know. He knew because he found my red notebook. Speaking of it I lost it when we ran into each other earlier."

"I got the notebook. Why don't you go with him?"

"I'm not interested."

"I thought the head cheerleader is suppose to go out with the quarter back."

"Yes but..."

"But what?"

Leah pulled into the driveway and parked the car.

"It's just that I feel he's not the right one."

"Well then who is? I mean if it's alright for me to ask."

"Sure it's OK. I don't know. It's like nothing when I kiss him."

"I'm glad you confided in me. Don't worry my lips are sealed."

Nicole placed her hand on Leah's strong muscular arm.

"Thanks a bunch. Let's get started on English."

"We Will but first I got to go feed the horses. Want to come along?"

"Sure I would like to."

They both got out of the car and headed around the house to the barn.

"Do you want me to help?"

"No it's alright I can do it. Thanks for the offer though."

"Oh OK. Well I'll watch then."

Leah headed into the barn and grabbed a bundle of hay. Nicole watched as her muscles flexed. THe hay was like a sack of potatoes to her.

"25 pounds each."

"I don't think I could lift that. You make it look so easy."

"I'm just use to it."

She tossed the hay into two stalls. Pointing to the first stall.

"That is Coco's and Vixen's stall. The one next to theirs is Surfboard and Aqua. The cows are held in the other barn. Pigs and sheep out in the field."

"That's cool. Are we ready to start on English now?"

"Yes. I was wondering do you want to get paid for this? I have no problem paying you."

"No don't worry about it. Consider it as a favor."

"Well let's go."

They headed towards the house. Niles the butler greeted them at the door.

"Good afternoon Ms. Leah. Who is this fine young lady?" Nicole smiled.

"This is Nicole Meadows. She's going to help me with English."

"OK you two have fun. I'm off to the market."

Niles bowed and left them alone. Leah stood there for a moment.

"We can either work here at the kitchen table or up in my room."

"Let's go to your room."

"OK follow me."

Leah lead Nicole upstairs to her room. Hoping that Nicole wouldn't mind the posters of the women on her wall and the rainbow stuff everywhere. She put her hand on the door knob bracing herself for what Nicole may think. She opened the door and went in as Nicole followed.

"Make yourself comfortable. I forgot my things in the car. Oh while I am down there would you want something to drink?"

"Yes sure. Water would be nice."

"OK I'll be back in a jiffy."

Nicole sat on the bed as Leah went to get her stuff and the drinks. The posters of the woman on the wall made Nicole blush a bit. Her thoughts disappeared as she heard Leah coming up the stairs.

"OK water for you." She handed the cup to Nicole.

Leah sat down next to Nicole. Her tears were no longer on her face. Leah grabbed the red notebook that was Nicole's.

"Here's your notebook."

"Thanks I was hoping no one else found it. I mean since it was you it was alright you would understand."

"Nicole I have no idea what your talking about. You don't have to tell me anything. It's your secret."

"It's killing me not being able to tell anyone but Jamie."

"Jamie Marshall?"

"Yes. She is the only one who knows beside Steve."

Leah put her finger to Nicole's lips. Soft against her skin they were. Nicole stopped talking.

"We are here to work on English so isn't that what we should be doing?"

"Yeah your right. I'm sorry."

"No need to be." Leah smile sincerely.

Nicole began the lesson. Verbs and Nouns. Then came adjectives. Leah understood them. Time quickly flew by.

"I better get going before it gets too late."

"Yeah. Are we going to do this tomorrow?"

"Yes we are. Same time. Same place."

"Do you still want a ride?"

"Yeah if it's alright."

"Sure it is."

Nicole headed down the stairs as Leah followed. Nicole opened the door and went out onto the porch. Leah grabbed the phone. When she walked out onto the porch Nicole was sitting on the steps. Leah sat beside her handing the phone.

"Thanks. I'll call my mom it shouldn't take her long."

"Yeah."

Nicole hung up with her mom. They sat in silence for a bit. Until finally Leah grabbed Nicole and kissed her.

Content Source: The Head Cheerleader Chapter 3 - Bukisa.com