Birthday Weekend

Our daughter turned 13 last week and for the next six months we will be parents to TWO teenagers. Interesting times.

I bought a book for my son through Michelle Garcia Winner’s website – Socially Curious and Curiously Social. She wrote it (with Pamela Crooke) as a guide to social thinking for adolescents and young adults. When the book arrived, I flipped through it quickly; the reviews were good and it seemed thoughtfully targeted to reach its intended audience.

I remember the day of my son’s graduation last June when a few friends stopped by; He remained on the periphery of the conversation, content to let the adults interact with his peers. When I gave him this book, I told him I was thinking of how hard it seemed for him on that particular day. Not that he struggles with peer interaction ever day; he clearly manages well at school, especially with the other Frisbee teammates.

I asked him to at least read the introduction, and if it rings true and sounds familiar, he might read further. A bit to my surprise, he was very open to doing that and said he’d take the book back to school with him.

Hopefully, when I get home from work tonight I won’t find it on his bed…