Like that's ever gonna happen!

My son and his best friend are both seniors this year. His best friend is almost 19, my son is 16. They both have absolutely no idea of what they're going to do next year, they've done nothing about applying to colleges, and they both have the mistaken idea that they can sleep until 4 and then play video games all night long for a year or two. While I've not spoken to his friend's mom, I can tell you that she's right there with me in the "no way, Jose" school of parenting young adults.

Best friend spends a lot of time at our house. As in, he's the 3rd son I never wanted, but seem to have. Oh, he's a nice enough kid, but he's quirky and argumentative and I've got enough on my hands without another teenager wanting to argue about anything under the sun.

Last week he was over one day after school and he and my son had cooked up an idea that they thought was absolutely the best idea ever. They couldn't wait to tell me about it. It was just so excellently awesome. You see, they thought it would be a good idea if the two of them fixed up the basement into a living quarters with a huge HDTV, video consoles, and lord knows what else, and then friend could live there and pay rent.

What an awesome idea....NOT. They had it all planned out, how they were going to fix up the "room" to be a media extravaganza and they would hang out down there with their friends. It was gonna be so cool!

After picking my jaw up from the floor I mentioned a few things I thought they might not have thought of. Like the laundry is in the basement. And the basement has no heat. And a cement floor and walls. Plus a non-insulated bulkhead. And windows that didn't open. No bathroom. Or shower.

Geesh mom, who  needs heat and a shower! Really. We'll have a huge TV and the rest, who cares?

I broke it to them gently that I had no intention of taking on yet another aimless kid, no matter how spectacular the electronics were that would come with him. But they are undeterred. They're still planning this excellent idea. Planning the parts of it that are the pipe dream, but not even considering how much money it would cost, how they would come by that money. and how this just MIGHT affect the other people who live in our home. Like me. And the Boy's sister.

I think it's great that they want to be together. Personally I think they would kill each other in a month, both being argumentative know-it alls, and both being bipolar. Um, yeah. But I like that their friendship, which has lasted a long time now, is rock solid.

But they are not moving into my basement. Under any circumstances. Ever.

Comments

[Daisy]

Typical teen, isn't it, to think only of the possibilities, but none of the realities.

[the planet of janet]

you go, girl. :-)

[jenny]

lol, my friend and I decided at 14 that we would rent the house next door, 4 bedrooms large garden, we were sure we can manage the rent and utilities and still go clothes shopping out of our saturday job money...! Told my mum that we would need to borrow the vacuum cleaner once a week!

[quilt crazy]

Oh such creativity and enthusiasm...you hate to crush the dream. My son came up with a gap year idea at that same age...when asked what he was planning on doing, you know travel, volunteer at the soup kitchen, work with the homeless or elderly...he quickly said oh no...this would be a year to hang out with friends, go to the coast, ski and get to new levels in video games. My response was...Do ya think I have a gap in my brain...no way!

[Ilona]

It'd be tempting to let them do it for a week, in deepest (coldest) February, just for the pleasure of seeing them freeze and admitting you were right... You'd need to padlock the fridge, obviously. The risk being they'd not notice they were freezing to death, and stay on forever. Nope. Not a risk worth taking!

[Ameda]

Story is very much the same here, My daughter is going to be senior this year and has no ideas what to do next, thanks god that my hubby is always there I am sure he must have thought something about it!