The Cared and Feeding of Young Men

Now that our youngest is 4 and 1/2 and can steadily reach glasses in the cupboard and the water faucet independently, we have moved across the border to a new phase of parenting.

We have four young men in the house. Granted, each one requires a very different regimen one from the other. Two are on teen vitamins, for example. One still chews gummy vitamins and takes flouride. And the fourth licks the sour powder off of the gummy vites and leaves them on his plate.

1. The eldest, J. "To take care" of him means giving him money and leaving him alone to do his thing. Take Thursday of this week. He left for school at 7 a.m. After school he pulled his drum line out for extra marching band practice and then arranged for his own band to use the a school room for an hour-long jam session. They wrote three songs.

After that he hiked to Subway ($) and then hopped a bus to the Auditorium Theater in Rochester to cheer on a classmate in the Stars of Tomorrow competition ($). I picked him up at 11:00 p.m. from a dark, deserted parking lot.

16 plus hours away from home.

2. 13-year-old N. We took his poodle to the groomer's yesterday. Little did I know the process would take HOURS so while we waited we went out to breakfast, treated ourselves to carmelattes, and completed the family's grocery shopping. We poked through buttons in an antique store. We picked out some pleasant smelling cologne.

It was a rare pleasure to spend time alone with him. We talked about modesty, media, cell phones, his girlfriend (good friend) and more. Later in the day he STAYED with us when we went to the local amusement park (in the pouring rain).

This morning I dropped him off at his girlfriend's house - and I won't see him again until tomorrow afternoon (he will rendezvous with a friend, go camping, and more in the interim).

3. 6-year-old W. Since he and his younger brother didn't go to the Amusement Park last year, the whole show is new and exciting. He is old enough to ride some BIG rides (although he still suffers from panic attacks. Yesterday he rode the corn popper alone and cried. But wanted to go again when the ride was over). He has learned to read so he is now aware of prices and menus. He was thrilled to get his "first credit card" (a season pass).

4. J., 4 and 1/2. The dog just bit him. I really need to find a new home for that poodle.