Tween Angst...

Sometimes we adults can forget how hard it is to grow up.

Yesterday, I sent Jack out to get the mail. This caught his eye...

"Mom, do you think I can change my room?"

"Sure Jack. I think it's time. Why don't you take a look through that catalogue to get some ideas. Here's a pen. Circle the ideas you like."

Here's a sample of what appealed to him...

"OK, Mom, when can we get the new room?"

"First of all, we can't necessarily buy all of this stuff but I bet we can make it come awfully close by painting and using some things we have around the house. What you need to focus on is eliminating the things in your room that you no longer use cuz we need to make room for a chair and a desk. I think if we put your chest of drawers in the closet, that will free up space for a chair. So...why don't you start in your closet." (Note to reader: Can you believe this chair cost $400!! Let's pray I find a substitute...)

From upstairs:
"Mom, I think I'll tackle the stuffed animals today!"

"Good idea. Make one pile to keep and we'll put those in storage. Make another pile to give away."

(This was a no-brainer place to start since stuffed animals are so "baby" -- notice there are no stuffed animals shown in those catalogue photos. Jack's stuffed animals have been shoved in the bottom of the closet for a few years now because he's embarrassed to have them out but he still loves them...)

10 minutes later:
"Mom, I think I might need some help deciding what to do..."

"I'll help. Why don't you show me the ones you don't know what to do with it"

Jack brings down a HUGE pile of stuffed animals and puts them in the middle of the floor. He stares down at the pile then looks up at me with puddles of tears forming on his lower lids and says,

"This is hard." And a single tear drops.

"I know it's hard, buddy."

We then proceeded to talk about each animal; where he got them, why he loved them and then, the decision of what to do...I mean this poor child was going through a mourning process over his stuffed animals. It was trauma! My big, tough boy who hardly ever cries even when he's hurt...

After some snuffling and wiping eyes on the sleeves of his t-shirt, here's how it went down.

These guys are staying and going to storage...


Along with these beanie babies just in case Jack's kids want to play pet shop like he did...


Unfortunately, these guys will be leaving us to go live with children who will love them...


However, all bets were off when this next guy came up for discussion and the dam broke loose...


See this is "Baby Bear", the most beloved, the one-and-only, the one who's there through thick and thin...Baby Bear is a member of our family and goes on vacation with us and Jack still sleeps with him every night, even though he's 11 years old. (Shh..don't tell the guys at school.)

As you can see, he's had many surgeries over the years. Here's a picture of Jack holding him when he was three just after Baby Bear's first surgery...


OK so, after going through all of the stories, the sadness and the choosing, Jack picks up Baby Bear.

He looks up at me with bottom lip quivering and tears threatening and says,

"But, Mom, I would give away everything I have, so that I would never have to give Baby Bear away. That would be the worst." And he begins to sob. Big honking, heaving sobs.

I hug Jack who is hugging Baby Bear for a long time while he cries. After a few minutes, I say, "Hey, let's get out of this room and take a break."

"That's a good idea. I had no idea it was going to be this hard."

"Me neither. How about a cup of tea? That might make you feel better."


And so it did. A little tea therapy happens yet again in my house.