Any parent who has ever ridden in a car alone with their teenager knows what I’m talking about. The conversation doesn’t exactly flow. I want to know every detail of his existence and he wants me to just stop breathing. I used to take this personally, reading books on “How to Listen so Your Teen Will Talk” and “Get Out of My Life, But Could You Drive Me to the Mall First?” , though they did little to change the situation.
But I have since found a tried and true way to bond with my teenage son. Morning Radio with Chaz and AJ on 99.1 WPLR.
We started the ritual on early morning car rides to high school and it continues to work 4 years later. A sleepless night, bad cold or pissy mood doesn’t stand a chance in the face of Chaz and AJ and their morning crew’s shenanigans. When the car silence becomes deafening, I’m reminded to tune into 99.1FM. Before I know it, we are both cracking up; my son has tears in his eyes, and I’m wheezing like Muttley from Wacky Races ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZm47SrmuwM&feature=related ). He is now slapping his leg and rocking back and forth, while I try not to pee. I mock him while he digs in my purse for the inhaler. This scenario only makes us laugh harder.
In the midst of our laughfest, we catch each other’s eyes. For that moment, we’re united in hilarity. We’re having fun together and life is good. We gain composure during the next commercial break and are left again with nothing but our large heaving sighs and our irrepressible grins.
Back to our private thoughts, I think….“Thanks guys…..you’ll never know the difference you make…….”
