Shopping With a Teen

My son turned fourteen last month. As part of his birthday present I told him I would take him clothes shopping because he’s been complaining that he doesn’t have any jeans. (He has plenty of jeans, but they are all hand-me-downs from his brother and apparently they aren’t cool enough, even though they are only two years old.) My grandma has spent most of the summer stuck at home due to a hip surgery at the beginning of the summer and a second one just two weeks ago. Since she couldn’t go out to buy him anything she gave him money for his birthday. She told him he needed to use half the money for clothes. So we had some serious shopping to do.

We’ve been unable to coordinate a time to go shopping because, with school and all of our kids’ after-school activities, I can only go on the weekends. However, as you know, weekends are prime time for teens to hang out with their friends. They don’t seem to have time for us old people on the weekends. My son has been spending the night at friend’s houses or having friends spend the night at our house. The high school football games have started so they went to the first football game. And during the day he’s busy playing computer games at a local hangout. For somebody who’s been doing a lot of complaining about not having any clothes to wear he sure doesn’t make himself very available for shopping.

Today I made an executive decision that we were going shopping. I had to pick up a prescription for my grandma and go over to get her mail (since she’s still stumbling around on her walker from her last hip surgery) so I figured it would be a perfect time to also head to the mall that’s near her house. My son, however, had plans to go to said hangout to play computer games. He said, “I planned this like a week ago. All my friends are going to be there.” to which I said, “Too bad you won’t be there.” I know. I’m so mean.

So he stomped off to his room mumbling about it not being fair. He grumbled for a good half an hour while he texted all his friends and (I’m sure) told them all how mean I am. By the time we left he wasn’t speaking to me.

The ride to the pharmacy and then to the mall was rather quiet. He shot me dirty looks while refusing to say a word to me other than “why can’t I go to [said gaming place]?” Grumble. Grumble. Heavy Sigh.

As soon as we got to the store I headed over to the graphic tee section. The graphic tees were the way to his heart. There we laughed over the funny t-shirts before adding a few to our shopping cart. Then we headed over to the jeans. By the end of our trip he had two new pairs of jeans, two pairs of shorts, four t-shirts, a sweatshirt and a bunch of new socks. And, even better, a big smile. I had redeemed myself.

After the shopping trip and a stop at grandma’s house we headed to Famous Footwear for some shoes. I wanted to get him some dressier shoes for church (and next week’s Homecoming dance), but he also talked me in to a pair of new tennis shoes. Then I was the bomb.

We ended the day with a trip to Wendy’s to get him some supper. Which he then ate at said gaming place. Yes, I broke down and let him go after all. Turns out I’m actually a big softy with a heart that turns to mush with just one giant smile from the teen.