Last weekend, the two oldest girls participated in a lock-in for teenagers. They stayed up all night in a locked building with a bunch of other teens and fun activities. There was a contest for bands and various games and prizes to be won.
When Amanda came home shortly after 6 a.m., with a huge smile on her face, she proudly informed me she had won the gross eating contest and the $5 prize.
I don’t have all of the details about exactly how she had to eat the concoction. I do know it involved baby food. The winning digestive item included a drink concoction that included coffee grounds. I can’t remember all of the ingredients, but the coffee grounds would have stopped me. Amanda didn’t hesitate.
Amanda won first place. The second and third place winners were also girls around her age. This competition was also open to boys, but the boys were apparently overwhelmed by the gross-factor. Amanda reported one boy even threw up, but most just spit the contents of their mouth back into the cup. Amanda just LOVES beating boys at anything.
I think, however, the puppy pictured with her in this post may have been able to beat her. This morning Lilly (the puppy) was eating something, and Amanda was called on to take it away from Lilly because who knew what this iron-stomached puppy would be chewing up THIS time. Amanda bent down to pick it up, grabbed it, and then immediately recoiled in disgust, dropping the item to the floor.
The offensive item? Used gum. Amanda grabbed a plastic bag to protect her as she picked it up a second time and properly disposed of it. It didn’t seem to be the actions of a gross-food eating contest winner, but I’ve learned teenagers are all about contradictions….
Amanda is 12, and she is (I am very sad to report) turning into a teenager. She once had a very easy going disposition, but she now gets upset over the slightest things. Most of her anger is directed at her little sister, Maxine.
Last night, Amanda and Maxine were arguing over who was sitting where on the couch. The bickering was unbelievable, and Amanda’s new favorite line is “It’s not fair!”
Later, after the fall out had fallen, I talked about it to Amanda. She had stayed up later with everyone else to finish up some homework she missed when she was sick this week. I had helped her. As she packed up her things, she thanked me for her help. Her sweet disposition was back in place. I saw this as an opening.
I suggested as gratitude, she could perhaps treat her little sister a bit nicer.
Me: Remember how Autumn used to pick on you, and you would get upset?
Amanda: Yeah.
Me: You didn’t like it did you?
Amanda: No (she pauses, and I am elated thinking I may have made a breakthrough in sibling rivalry….)
Amanda: …but I’m the older one now.
Alas, a breakthrough was not to be. I gathered my jaw up off the floor and said goodnight.
I keep forgetting how distorted a teenager’s perspective can be. I think there is something that happens in the birthing process to both parents that requires you to forget what you were like as a teenager because if we didn’t forget….
