A ton.
Sometimes the parents are loving yet misunderstood, and sometimes they're abusive and completely misguided. And sometimes there's redemption in the end for kids and adults alike.
Our family hasn't been one of those movies and we're grateful for that.
For example, the plan was for my wife Amy to fly to Vegas and meet me for a weekend getaway. But after finding out our kids had a choir concert scheduled that same Thursday night, the pressure was on for Mom to stay and watch the concert. Our kids wanted me to attend, too, but they knew I was already going to be gone for a work conference.
Now, we've gone to all our kids' events over the years, with me only missing a few due to work travel. But this time our oldest Beatrice was singing a brief solo in one of the songs, and both Beatrice and our youngest Bryce wanted us both there.
So, we changed the plan. I flew back from my work trip a little early to attend the choir concert with Amy, and then we flew back to Vegas the next morning for our fun weekend plans (that included going to Disneyland, which we love). Again, trusting our kids to take care of the house and our pets without worry.
Our kids were very appreciative that we went to the concert. And so were we. We didn't have to do it, but we did. Both Beatrice and Bryce already give me a bad time for traveling so much for work again, but I remind them that when I'm here, I'm here. Present and mindful about everything we do as a family. Plus, they love to get sassy with me when I get fussy with them, and the ribbing antics ensue.
Thankfully we're not cluelessly lame parents and our kids aren't rebellious teens. Well, Bryce kind of is, but we're okay with that. We're okay with all of who they are, both Beatrice and Bryce.
And they're okay with who we are, their mom and dad. After we returned from our trip, we were talking with Bryce and they told us both of them were grateful that they've been able to communicate openly with us and that they feel we've loved them unconditionally, without shame and judgment. Both kids are also grateful that they've had a loving relationship with each other.
We're still mom and dad, and we've had our "rules of the childhood-to-teen road", but they feel like it's been loving and safe for them to be who they are, willing to listen and learn from us (just like we continue to do as adults). If we had gone the other way and forced them to carry our past adulting baggage because we can't and won't deal, while adding to their own teen angst, would've sunk us all to rock bottom.
That always makes for dramatic cinema and maybe why redemptive understanding becomes so much sweeter in those stories. And although we've had our own family drama over the years, we're well below the threshold of teens vs. parents mainstream movies.
Thank goodness, and we're still good TV to me.
