I knew we were in trouble when at the beginning of senior year, my daughter Sarah uttered, “Mom, I am so done with high school.” I kept my mouth shut, but all I was thinking was is this senioritis already? The year hasn’t even started yet! I gave her some encouragement and off she went for the first day of senior year. Thankfully, she held it together pretty well for eight months.
Our first indication that senioritis had not only returned but truly set in for good was an email we received when mid April hit, and the weather began to warm. It was from the school and said, “This email is to inform you that Sarah has just recorded a tardy and has reached tardy number 1.” We received three more emails like this, and the final one let us know she was receiving detention for an hour after school. If we were to think up a middle name for Sarah now that she is eighteen, it would be Sarah, Straight A- National Honor Society – I never want to be late – Mund. For three and a half years, not one tardy, and now there were four, in 3 ½ weeks. The only explanation is senioritis.
Senioritis is real. Not real in the sense of an actual medical condition like tonsillitis, but if there was an actual survey done, I am willing to bet it affects at least three out of four graduating seniors. We let her do her detention, and of course, she said it was “great!” She got all of her homework done – so not much of a deterrent there. Don’t think there is really any way to treat senioritis except to wait it out. It has to end, I mean all good things come to an end, right?
Not yet!
Somewhere after her detention, my daughter began texting me from school. It was late one morning, and I knew this was senioritis, once again rearing its ugly head.
Here is the text message stream between my senior daughter and myself:
Sarah: Mom!
Mom: Yes?
Sarah: Help me!
Mom: What is it?
Sarah: I can’t deal!
Mom: With what?
Sarah: People!
Mom: (No response – I mean how do you respond to this in a text?)
5 minutes later
Sarah: MOM!!!!!!!!!!
Mom: Yes?
Sarah: I need to get out of here
Mom: Are you sick?
Sarah: No
Sarah: I told you! I can’t deal with people. Everyone is annoying me. Teachers too! Sick of everything! I can’t take high school anymore
Mom: Hang in there! <3
Sarah: THAT IS NOT HELPING!
5 minutes later
Sarah: MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom: Yes?
Sarah: I really need to come home and snuggle with Bella (our dog)
Mom: Want me to send you pics of her?
Sarah: No! That will make me miss her more
Mom: How can I help you?
Sarah: Get me a Doctor’s note
Mom: Because you can’t deal with people?
Sarah: Yes
Mom: I cannot do that. If you are really sick go to the nurse
Sarah: But I am not sick and I am not a good liar
Mom: I am not going to lie either – to the Dr.
Mom: Why don’t you make sure you get outside for lunch and get some sun
1 hour later
Mom: Did you get outside for lunch?
Sarah: No. (What she is probably thinking but not saying: That is not going to help. If you had just lied for me and got a doctor’s note, I would be sunning myself on our deck snuggling with Bella and not still here in High School!)
30 minutes later
Mom: How are you doing?
Sarah: I am in the nurse (sends pic of the nurse’s desk)
30 min later
Sarah: Mom! They kicked me out. The nurse kicked me out! Can you believe it? Mom: (No comment. Not going to touch this one.)
After school Ladies and gentleman, she survives the day!
I see her strolling around the kitchen opening the fridge, laughing and texting with her friends. Silly me. Thinking she was so distraught!
“How are you feeling, Sarah?” Sarah responds, “Good! I got over it! What’s for dinner?”
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