My oldest son, Drew, finished up seventh grade this past May, and this summer, he is truly ‘living the dream’. I don’t think I am bursting any teacher’s bubble (including my own) to say that summertime is pure heaven for just about any kid. And I would theorize that the peak years for full summer enjoyment is somewhere around 7th and 8th grade.
Let’s further analyze the evidence to support this theory. The great thing about being a pre-teen is that your responsibilities are few. Empty the dishwasher. Clean your room once in a while. Brush your teeth. You can even get away without showering every day!
While we are on that thought, why do some kids hate taking showers? Is there a better 5 minutes in your day (or in my wife’s case, 25 minutes) than a nice hot shower?
STOP THE PRESSES!!!! I just came up with an idea to make me millions!
Here it goes. First: a deluxe shower with multiple heads to cover every part of your body (it stinks when you have to rotate in the shower like a rotisserie chicken to try keep your entire body warm).
Second: at a cushioned, water-resistant, reclining chair to avoid tiring out.
Now comes the true magic: mix in a water-proof remote control and a flat screen TV!
What do you think? I say I can retire on that moment of brilliance. Maybe I can offer the option of a garbage disposal in the drain in case you want to make a salad like Kramer on Seinfeld.
Back to my theory. Pre-teens the joy of having fewer responsibilities. The trade off is that you have fewer freedoms. Nowadays, a kid is pretty much landlocked within a 30-yard radius of his house. Back in the day, that leash was much longer for kids like myself. Ignorance to the dangers of the world that we now see on TV and on the internet was definitely bliss back then.
As you become a young teen, the world becomes your oyster. Your roaming area grows exponentially. That must be due to parents trusting their teens more. Or, in very rare cases, they get sick of seeing and hearing those sparkling teenage personalities. Anyhow, you can cover a whole bunch of blocks on a good bike to your buddy’s house or the city park or to some store to buy some junk food. Or maybe even accidentally peddling by that certain cute girl’s house.
Another plus for Middle schoolers is that while they are old enough to dip their toes into the adult pool of life, they are still young enough to hang at the kiddie pool and have kid fun. You are still allowed to play ‘kid’ games in the neighborhood and even use ‘kid’ toys without embarrassment.
High schoolers have the enormous advantage of having the power of a driver’s license. But to quote Spiderman’s Uncle Ben:
More chores at home. Babysitting your lil’ sibs.
(I had to watch these two, which will be a great blog topic down the road, including an in-depth analysis of this picture)
Getting a real job. Having to start paying more and more for your stuff (like clothes, tech stuff, car insurance, dating,…). And sports in high school become more of a job than a game with weight lifting, speed training, open gyms, shoot-outs, camps,…
My own 7th grade summer was exactly 30 years ago. I touched it briefly in a blog from last month.
On the left is my 8th grade batting stance for the American Legion squad. A little more fearsome to pitchers than my manly 7th grade pose on the right. If you look close enough, I couldn’t even loop my belt right! Thank goodness that elastic waistbands came the next year!
A lot has changed in the last 30 years, but many similarities ring true. Let’s see how the 2014 and 1984 measure up in the shoes of two 13-year old Andrew Aljancics.
Let’s start with the footwear. Flip-flops ruled for both eras, with about a 15-year break in between. Did any guys wear them in the 90’s? Maybe the ladies did, but I seem to remember the sandals of the 1970’s making their comeback during Bill Clinton’s tenure.
Here is an enormous difference in the last 30 years. In ’84, I could take $15 to Tournoux’s Sporting Goods, buy a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All-Star low-tops in just about any color of the rainbow…
…and still leave with $5 in my pocket. My son, on the other hand, wears socks that cost $15. FOR ONE PAIR! OF SOCKS! But I am happy to say that Chuck Taylor stompers are still considered pretty hip nowadays…at no less than $40 a pair!
The daily ritual of hanging with your core group of buds is another common thread of Drew and me. Sleeping in has not gone out of style, and I have to give my son a pat on the back for usually being up by 9:30 am. I seem to remember being an 11 am rise & shine guy.
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