All The Other Kids...

If you are a mom, you've probably had a conversation similar to this one at some point in your parenting adventure.

"Mom. Seriously. Every other kid has one! Why can't I have a (fill in blank here) too?"

Sam has been hammering me this year for a smart phone. A smart phone, for pete's sake! I just got an iphone this past Christmas, and before that, I'd used my stupid phone for over five years.

Sam's older brothers were always the last in their social circles to have cell phones, for a number of reasons. For starters, they cost money. LOTS of money. And the plans to keep them active? Even more money. Second, why would they need a phone if every one of their friends already has one? If it was really an emergency, there would be no shortage of nearby phones to contact someone. Third, the kids were almost always with us, or at a home that had a land line. Who were they going to need to call?

Sixteen. It was a right of passage age for my oldest sons. And when you start something with the oldest child, it typically becomes tradition and sets precedent for the younger children as well.

But sixteen! That's five years and three months from now for Sam!

Sam: "Mom. Seriously. Every other kid in my class has one."

Me: "Really? Okay. I want to line up all the kids in your class, and then I will ask every other one. You. Not you. You. Not you."

Sorry. Not buying it.

And then I got a call from a class mom, inviting Sam to a birthday sleepover. She informed me that he'd already had his birthday a while back, and this was his chance to celebrate with friends. And by the way, he got a smart phone for his tenth birthday.

Ugh.

I'll never hear the end of it!

I made this card for his birthday sleepover celebration. It seemed appropriate.

{Today's Brew: Teen Routine (Paper Smooches), PTI card stock, versafine ink and prisma markers, Lawn Fawn papers, staples from Making Memories}

I don't know where you fall in the "staples" camp, but it seems to be an item that paper crafters either love or hate. I decided these banners just need a little something, and I think the staples did the trick.

Today, I will celebrate just a few more years of pre-pubescent naivete. Today, I will not rush to be like all the other moms. I will celebrate this moment before every day becomes this day:

Unplugged, and loving every moment of it.