SS turned 16 today and GOT HIS LICENSE!!!!!  *yahoo*  This is one of the milestones I have been counting down towards, helping me get to the finish line of a skid-free home. DH will no longer be driving SS to very-walkable places (5 blocks) within our small town of 4,800 people just because SS "doesn't like walking". SS may actually go out and do social activities rather than stay in his room playing video games 18 hrs a day! I'm pumped. Also, SS and I are in a great place, and he's thrilled to have his license so I'm excited for him.

Yesterday SS said to me, "I can probably give SD12 a ride to school now instead of dad". Sigh. SD's school is 2 BLOCKS away. This has been a point of exasperation for me this entire year, because DH was giving her a ride in the morning and then she would walk home. You can see her school from our front porch. We have 2 neighbor girls (they live on either side of us, both are her age) that go to her school and both walk. But not SD! She will sometimes scam a ride home and then immediately go for a walk with friends or hop on her scooter and go around town. It MAKES NO SENSE. But everyone will give her rides. Crazy texts her all the time asking her if she got a ride to/from school, because heaven forbid she walk 2 blocks (even though it's ok to then walk 10 blocks with friends..???). I told SS she does not need a ride- it's absolutely ridiculous that she gets rides 2 blocks. Later, I hear SD asking him for a ride. I said, SD, your school is RIGHT THERE, you do not need a ride! She said, well he said he would give me one, so....  OMG. I know I need to let this go, but I absolutely hate coddling, and now there is a whole new generation of her family ready to coddle her so she doesn't have to walk 2 Fricking blocks to school! I just can't. 

Also, I had said a few weeks ago how I thought things may be at a crossroads with SD, because she was acting aloof. But last time she was with us was great- she was talkative, told me some personal things and cried, etc. So I thought maybe I was wrong. I was not. I don't know what happened at Crazy's last week, but she is a completely different kid this week. She wants nothing to do with me. After 6+ yrs of her hugging me goodnight before bed, she has not done it once this week. She will hug DH right next to me and then say goodnight to us over her shoulder and run upstairs. She will say "Dad, guess what"?, rather than addressing us both (or just me) like usual. I pointed it out to DH last night and he doesn't know what is going on. The whole thing is frustrating because I know Crazy influences her, we don't know how much is typical teen stuff, and I honestly just don't have the patience for this crap. I'm disengaged from punishments, school/Dr stuff, but I do talk to SK's about their lives and SD and I have always had a great relationship. So it does bum me out to think that will change, and the idea of 5 more years with her being aloof is not something that excites me. I don't want to feel awkward in my own home. I may have a chat with her and ask if something is up. 

Have I mentioned I hate being a SM?