
Wednesday, October 18. 2023
I got this idea while walking around the mall with my friend Beth a couple of weeks ago. I cannot remember the last time I walked the mall with a friend and I thought, “Oh wow, we are like teenagers!”
So, that was the idea behind this post. I am around teens all day and even though they can be annoying, especially if you have to live with them – ha! – I think they also have some lessons to teach us adults about happiness.
-Be selfish – at times. I think many of us are guilty of martyrdom or of trying to sacrifice all of our needs to make everyone else happy. I think it’s so important to take time to yourself. I used to take a day off each semester to go on one of my kids’ field trip and then I had one personal day left for me. I did a Target trip in the evening after bedtime. I had a weekly sitter in the summer so I could run some errands. There are so many different ways to “be selfish” every now and then that are important.

-Prioritize your friends. Friends are everything to teens. Make time to talk on the phone and make regular plans. Text silly things. Just keep up the friendships! It requires work and it can be frustrating. Start small with one friend and maybe build it in to something you and that friend already do. If you see them at a lesson or class, get coffee after. This is why happy hour after school works for Erica and I. We are both already at school and then we go somewhere. It doesn’t require a separate time.
-Be comfy. Gosh, you guys. the teens don’t wear hard pants anymore. It’s so rare to see a teen at school in something other than leggings, yoga pants/flares, sweats, or pj pants. Before it turned colder it was athletic shorts. They have so many cute athleisure things. Maybe we should also be comfier!
-Binge on Netflix, Hulu, etc. and don’t feel one bit bad about it.

-Get a fun drink. The teens and their drinks, right? They have so many cups and water bottles and it’s all about getting a drink like a Frappuccino, a Polar Pop, or a can of Celsius.
-Just go out for a drive. Sometimes you just need to get out of the house and play some good music.
-Make music listening a priority. I am guilty of choosing podcasts over just some fun music. I’m trying to use some of the fall playlists on Spotify.
-Go to the mall with friends and shop together and laugh at the offerings like these “nutcracker shorts” for the holidays.

-Be messy – for a while. I can’t stand it for very long, but sometimes it makes more sense to just wait and straighten it all at once instead of constantly spinning your wheels. Teens have absolutely no problem with a little mess, am I right?
-Be happy with a simple meal. Teens are not gourmets. They seem to be happy with a basic meal from a chain. They love Panera, Taco Bell, and Cane’s or other chicken finger places.
-Wear sneakers. Wow, is the sneaker the “it” shoe right now or what? I also see Birkenstocks and Crocs but only when worn with socks. Ha! I guess that saves needing a pedicure, right?
-Don’t carry a purse or if you do, make it a belt bag. Don’t be encumbered by so much stuff.
What else can you think of that I missed? Do you think there are lessons to be learned from our teens?
Amy















































































































