I’ve shared often on here how Chad loves to dress up. He really would get all dressed up with tie, cuff links, sports jacket every day. But, he doesn’t. There doesn’t seem to be any happy medium with him.
I suppose parents aren’t supposed to understand 20 year old but just for the sake of argument (really, for the sake of having a blog post today!), let’s just assume that I’m trying to figure him out. If he thinks dressing up in fancy clothes makes him a better person, or makes people think he’s a better person, or causes people to look at him in a more desirable light, then what does he think they think when he wears really goofy clothes?
This shirt isn’t so bad. He loves it because he can usually get in a debate with someone when he wears this one. He loves to debate. You’d think he would get it out of his system just debating with me about curfew but apparently not!
You might want to cover the eyes of your children! And, if your children are young and sweet and angelic, brace yourself because this is what you’re facing.
A couple of weeks ago, this is the shirt Chad wore to school. Where the heck did this thing come from? Yes, he’s almost 21 years old but he still lives at home and some things . . just not gonna happen! I said “Chad! I don’t like that shirt!” His response . . “I do!” and he left. I stood in my kitchen kinda not knowing what to think. He doesn’t usually (usually doesn’t mean never!) do things like that. I thought to myself . . we’ll have a little talk about this when he gets home from school but, on second thought, I knew it would come through the laundry in a day or two and when it did . . that darned washing machine! It has a tendency to eat things like that! 🙂
Sure enough, it was in the next clothes basket he brought upstairs. I washed it, folded it neatly and now it’s tucked away in my little “Grandchildren Box”. I have a box in which I store things like:
A picture Chad drew when he was about 7. He was going to summer camp at one of the Baptist churches and he drew a picture of a lady in a very tiny bikini. It was very graphic! She even had on long, dangly ear rings. I wore long, dangly ear rings and I know the people thought I ran around the house in my bikini but I promise you — there’s not a living soul who has ever seen me in bikini. Anyway, I got called to come see what he had done! So . . that picture is in the box!
When Chad was in middle school, he was taking French. They were asked to write a letter to a penpal in France. OMG! You should see the letter Chad wrote. I got called to the school (but that surely wasn’t the first time I’d been called to the middle school!). That letter is in the box.
Now there’s a shirt added to the box.
There are plenty of things in the box — speeding ticket, discipline tickets from school, hospital bills from the ski trip . . .
Some day I hope to have grandchildren. When they’re driving Chad nuts . . I’ll get out my little box and remind him what he did to me!
peggy says
My boys are older-29 & 33, but I wish I’d thought of a grandchildren box when they were younger. It would have had to be huge! They (and their dad and I) made it through those years. I sure don’t want to do it again though until it’s my grandchildren.
Vicky says
Hee-hee, payback is going to be fun!! Poor Chad! He has no clue what’s ahead for him!
Erin says
hahaha one of my girls went through all that stuff..she says to this day (29 now) she gave us great memories!
Linda says
Oh, Judy!! You are evil!! And I love it! I always like informing my grandchildren about the stuff their parents pulled, or tried to.
pdudgeon says
ROTFLOL, that’s a good solution!
Pat says
What a GREAT idea!!! Too bad I didn’t think of it. Our 2 girls were a real trip and that kind of box would have been so terrific to have and pull out now to share with THEIR kids. 🙂
How are things by your folks? I hope the hurricane didn’t affect them.
CJ says
LOL that’s priceless Judy, what a great idea! I hope you video tape the day you share it with Chad, hehehe.
Susan Fields says
One day you will get THE PHONECALL…. When they say how wonderful you are for putting up with them and apologizing for all the things they did……….
When the Principal of the Middle School asked the PTA to replace the visitor chairs in his office. The school board would not fund new chairs. My friends suggested that I should be the one to pay for them since I would be the person using them the most. What can I say. He grew up to be a fine young man. Who will be 40 on the 19th. I didn’t think I was getting that old. Oh well,,,,,,,,,,
Marlene says
Oh my goodness I wish I’d thought to do that when my kids were growing up!
Gail says
omg.. payback is so cool. Years ago, when my daughter was a teen, she got tatoos. One on her foot, and one on her back. She had them a while before she told me. Now, she has a baby girl.. and when I want to get a rise out of my daughter, I say to the baby.. if mommy won’t let you get a tatoo, come see grammie… she’ll pay for it…. You wouldn’t believe how much I enjoy the payback…. ha ha ha
Suzanne says
You are so clever, Judy! I love the grandchildren box. Whenever my son’s little girl does something naughty, I just smile…drive’s my son nuts!
Lynne in Hawaii says
I love it! Payback will be SWEET!
SueR says
Nice shirts. I have my son Christopher’s letter to “Dr Spanky” in my “grandchildren’s box”!
Ava says
Make sure you put the black mail pictures in the box too! Like if he ever put on mommys high heels and you snapped a picture, stick it in the box! Can also pull it out to show his girlfriends too LOL
Dawn says
The grandchildren box is a great idea!
Trying to figure out our sons is like huuuuuh and whaaaa?? so many days. sigh, if they weren’t so cute they’d be in trouble!!
dawn
Perry says
Love it, love it, love it!!!! I have several memories of all of my children that would certainly go in such a box, wish I had kept one. Thanks for this post, it was funny!!
Pat says
NOT related to this post, but I just read your posting on Bonnie’s blog about your parents losing power but getting it back already. I’m glad that is the only trouble they’ve had….and hope things quiet down now and there is NO more of this storm-stuff this season.