I think most parents agree that we want our kids to be open with us. We want them to be comfortable coming to us, asking for help, or letting us know what they’re going through. James and I have been very successful instilling this in our children. If you’ve been following this blog you know our kids have shared a lot of things most kids would take to their grave. And we LOVE this! Everything should be great, right?
What we hadn’t prepared for was our second child, otherwise known as the Queen of Over Sharing. I realized at about age twelve, when she began giving daily updates on whether her period had started (she called it Period Watch Update) that this one would be different.
Now, as an active 17-year-old, it does not matter if I am writing, reading, watching a coveted TV show, or going to the bathroom. Me time is not something I am allowed in my home. She will enter the room, sit next to me and just… start… talking. She tells all, a veritable verbal diarrhea of information about her friends, her friends’ families, her friends’ boyfriends, who’s fighting with whom and who’s sleeping with whom. Just when you think she is winding down; she’s just getting started.
I’ve tried hinting, “I’m right in the middle of something, maybe you can call Carson and tell her?” (Yes, I threw her older sister under that bus!) Then I tried straight up honesty. “Can we talk about this later?” and “I don’t think your friend would want you telling me that.” None of it worked, I get full rundowns on the daily of everything happening in the teen drama that is her life.
Don’t get me wrong. I love that she wants to share with me. I know what a blessing it is. But, seriously, she needs to work on her timing.
Rebecca Lamprey 