Happy Mother’s Day! You deserve (a vat of wine) to be treated like a queen (a spa gift certificate would be awesome) on this day (every day) for all the wonderful things you do for your family. You really do.

Especially if you’ve got little ones.

Remember when they were this little?                  HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! (Illustration from my book, How to Spread Sanity on a Cracker). http://www.ventingsessions.com/book

Then again, if you have teens, good lordy. Help. Us. All.

When your kids become teenagers, a lot changes. For one thing, you transform from a woman they once worshiped and missed when you left the room to pee to an unpaid Uber driver that embarrasses them daily. Our social lives on weekend nights are practically destroyed, not by dirty diapers, exhaustion or Drake and Josh marathons, but by waiting. The excruciating waiting. Our minds slowly turn to mush from all the stress waiting. Waiting for the text (or call) to know where they are. When they are coming home. Who they are with. What they are doing. When they need to be picked up. And if so and so needs a ride. If they are punished for not following the rules? Count on more waiting.  More greys. And more hairs to sprout on your chin.

I’m not saying it’s all bad. I adore my kids and I do realize they’re good kids. But it’s not easy raising teens. And to think I thought we’d be out of the woods after the diaper stage. Can you hear me cackling out loud? After the kindergarten stage. After the first year of middle school. You couldn’t pay me a billion dollars to go back in a Hot Tub Time machine that sent me back to junior high. (Oh I said it- junior high.) I’m very happy that I don’t ever have to go back to those gawky years, thank you very much. (Although I adored my childhood friends in Texas, my aqua jelly shoes and that Tiger Beat poster of Rob Lowe that every girl had in 1984.)

If you’re like me and enjoy expressing, blogging or sharing your feelings with good friends (over wine and cheese) about the joys and temporary insanity brought on by motherhood, realize that when they become teens, they start catching on. They don’t want their picture taken any more. They start paying attention to and getting annoyed by what you say and what you sing to in the car. And it’s all good. As long as you’re not writing about them. Which technically, I’m not doing right now because I haven’t included any photos, names or links. I realize I’m not big on brevity. What I’m trying to say is regardless of how old your kids are, try to treasure this time. They grow up really fast. I started this blog eons ago and I’m still a mom, no matter how old my kids are. So, have a good Mother’s Day. I mean it. You rock. Go get yourself a nap. A cold cocktail. Or brunch. I don’t know about you, but this year, I’m giving myself a little gift too. The gift of renewed, unabashed expression. I’m starting by posting this article. I have practically had cob webs on this blog (I still write professionally) but I think it’s healthy to get this $hit out. Don’t you?