Adventures in Parenting

We're in an "All Y-Chromo All The Time" mode. It's tiring, to say the least. Every day, usually in the evening, we're doing something related to his music, his academics, his drama.

I know, I know, it could be worse. I could be bailing him out of jail, taking him to juvie court, etc., but sometimes this Mom wants to scream, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

Last weekend, X-Chromo was invited to a birthday party -- a party thrown together at the last minute -- which conflicted with family plans we'd made weeks earlier. She was disappointed that she couldn't attend, and let me know that she was upset. "You do EVERYTHING for Y-Chromo, and I never ask you for anything!"

She's right. She doesn't ask, and we seem to spend every free moment accommodating his schedule. But in this instance -- how can TV & I be responsible for last-minute planning on someone else's part? Everything worked out -- the party was moved so X-Chromo could attend (SHREK III, followed by lunch at Johnny Rocket's). She and I went to the mall early to look for a graduation dress for her . . . and she chose the perfect dress. I enjoyed her company so much, I wish we could do it more often.

I miss one-on-one time with Y-Chromo -- he's so busy with outside activities that that's all we have time for. Example: today he had his SATs and a jazz ensemble competition at a major amusement park about three hours west of our city. I had my writing meeting. Last night and this morning, our conversations consisted of: "You need two pencils, an eraser, your graphing calculator, your reeds, your sax, and your ticket into the SATs. Oh, and your photo ID."

Y-Chromo: "Leave me alone. I know what I need. Which is $40 for meals at the Amusement Park."

Me: "And let me give you $10 to give to the mom who's driving you to Amusement Park after the SATs to help with gas." (Her son was in the same situation as Y-Chromo -- registered for the tests without realizing there was a band competition, so she offered to drive. I had a writers' meeting.)

I don't know how parents with more than two children juggle everything. I don't know how parents whose children are athletic manage. I should be grateful Y-Chromo is into the performing arts, and that X-Chromo is into watching television.

But I was never as busy as these children are today. What happened in the past 30, 35 years that turned students into overworked drones and their parents into their servants?