At War With My Teenage Daughter

This, of course, is Sierra, my 15 year old daughter.  She is so much like I was it's scary.

The other night, Sierra, my 15 year old daughter, traipsed in at 4 in the morning, well past curfew.
"Where have you been?" I asked.
"Out," she replied, rather flippantly.
"You are going to tell me where you were --"
"Or what?"
"Tell me where you were, dammit!"
"None of your business!"
"It is my business, Sierra, I'm your mother!"
"I told you, mom, it's none of your business."
"As long as you're a minor child, it is surely my business."

I got a flashback right then and there, to my days as a wannabe juvenile delinquent, brought home by the cops in my short skirts and flat-heels, back to the days when my mother couldn't tell me a damned thing.

 Back in the days when I used to glare at my mother and tell her to kiss off.

Now, thirty years later, I've got my own daughter, pink hair and bad attitude and all, who's basically telling me to kiss off. 
"Sierra, you're skipping school, you're beating up other kids, you stay out all night.  I'm sick of all this, I'm sick of the hair, I'm sick of the clothes, I'm sick of the nasty attitude toward this family.  You break curfew one more time, missy, or it's off to reform school like your brother, and I don't have to wait for the court to put you there."
"So.  I don't care.  Whatever."
"Sierra, I want to know what's going on with you.  Why are you acting like this? Just tell me, why?  Where is the little girl I knew?"

Time flies

Recently I started my new job.

Yes, I'm a professor of History and Paranormal Studies at Simwarts Academy for the Supernatural.  I have students who are witches, vampires, werewolves, fairies ... and I think I might have an alien or plant-sim or two. 

Before I started my job, though... as you know, I forced Andrew Jr., my oldest son, to go to college.  He had absolutely no choice in the matter.  I told him I was even willing to partially foot his expenses for his first semester, as he has scholarship money due to his test scores.  My husband was like, oh, it doesn't really matter if he goes.  In my opinion he is wrong on this.  It does matter and it would benefit him greatly.  He could gain as many as two additional traits. 

I'm not teaching at the school where my children go, even though my children would not be in my classes.  It would be too awkward for them and I didn't want to put them in that kind of position.

Went to Sage's graduation, I was sitting in the front row so proud as the Prince handed her diploma. 

The next day, Sage left for college.

Sierra and I stood at the door watching the moving van leave with her things.  I'm going to miss that kid.

Four kids out of the house now... three to go.

Wow how time flies.

Rites of Passage

So, we celebrated Sage's YA birthday quietly back in Sunset Valley.  It was just us, just the family.  Pretty much what she wanted, actually.  Except she wanted it in Hidden Springs.

Right after Sage blew out her candles, I took AJ into the formal dining room.
"You know, son," I said, "I still think you should go to college. I mean, it can't hurt."
"Mom, I'm preparing to be an astronaut, not a doctor."
"Still, I think you'd benefit from it. Your test scores were extremely high, in three subjects. You could get advanced placement in all of them and not spend as much time in school to get your degree as others."  I had to bring up those test scores.
"Mom, I don't want to sit all day in a classroom."
"You won't have to. The class schedules are flexible. You can attend as little as one class a day, for two hours. Then you can spend the rest of the time pursuing your own interests. Besides, I read the brochure, there's a lot more to college than classes. It's a tremendous opportunity for you. I wish it had been available when I was coming up."

When I walked in on my son AJ, he was asleep in the rocking chair.  "Wake up!" I shouted.
"Where are we going?"
"You're going to college."
"But mom --"
"The matter is already decided.  I've submitted your test scores and admissions profile."

"Mom -- what -- what are you doing  Where am I?"
"I'm doing this because I love you, Andrew.  Before I leave this world, I want to see you make something of yourself."

 

So I did what any self-respecting mom would do.  I got his butt up at six in the morning, I caught the red eye to Sims University, and I enrolled him there.  That simple.  I even helped him with his bags, which I'd already packed.  

There is no way I'm going to allow him to waste his goddess given gifts.  He's a smart boy.  But he's stubborn.  Like someone else we all know.  *snickers.*  Yep, me.  Because he's stubborn, I can be stubborn, too. 

College preps

I have more ammo in the fight with AJ over college, as if I needed any more.  It comes in the form of his Sims University Aptitude Test (SUAT) scores.

He scored almost as high as Sage! He just missed out on the full scholarship by I think a few points.

But what he's good in he's VERY good in. He's got advanced placement in technology, science and PE. He could pick either of those and get 18 credits toward his degree.  He has advanced placement in 3 subjects, whereas Sage only has it in 2. 

He's going to college, no ifs ands or buts. I don't care if I have to drag him out.  I am not going to let him waste his goddess given talent.  I'm not going to let him do it.  He's going to make something of himself, if it's the last thing I do.

I remember the last time we went to Dr. Bill about him, the doc had told me in an interview that he had told him he was interested in computers so I'm not at all surprised by those scores.  
My philosophy has always been to let my kids develop and get out of their way.  They're going to do what they want anyway... 

Then I saw what's been happening with the Queen in Hidden Springs, her attempts to corral her daughters (all three of them, counting the one who ran away) have failed.  The twins have enrolled in college as well. 

The day the mascot showed up, I made my son and daughter take the aptitude test.  They had to fill out a survey and a questionnaire.   

BTW those are Sage's scores.  She received a full scholarship.   She's majoring in fine arts. 

I got the job!

Well, it's me coming on to announce that I got the job I applied for. 
I am now an Assistant Professor of History and Paranormal Studies at Sims University.  And I'll be studying for my doctorate.  Soon you could call me Dr. Plumb.
My paternal grandmother, Jamie Jolina, was a doctor.  I suppose I always had a fantasy of being a doctor like her.  But I won't be a medical doctor, at all. 
Frankly, I'm nervous as heck.  And probably even more nervous than Sage is.  And my son, AJ, well, he's not exactly thrilled with the idea of sitting in a classroom again.  Then again, he doesn't seem to be too thrilled with much of anything....
I've done lectures before but not consistent lecturing, all the time.  And then I have to deal with students... this means I have to come up with a syllabus, figure out just exactly what I'm going to teach...


Mrs. Cheesman comes to Sims University with an impressive list of qualifications. The daughter of composer Nathan Plumb and Shandra Bellingham Plumb, the first female conductor of the Sunset Valley orchestra, Savannah Plumb Cheesman decided on a different path early on, one that was encouraged by her father. As a young woman, right after graduating with honors from Sunset Valley's Community School for the Gifted, instead of getting a job, Mrs. Cheesman took a lengthy trip around the world, making stops in Egypt, France, and China, in what she now remembers as an effort to 'find herself.' She was a working archaeologist, going on digs and working with locals to uncover their past.

After returning home, Mrs. Cheesman took a job as a ghost hunter and paranormal specialist, and published numerous articles on paranormal phenomena. She became the foremost expert in Sim Nation in this field, which led to her taking a job in Moonlight Falls as chief archivist of its collection of paranormal and historical writings.

Sims University is proud to have a professor of Mrs. Cheesman's qualifications joining its staff, and we look forward to her sharing her expertise with the other faculty and students of this institution.

Madison

I haven't blogged as much as I used to.  But you know I'm coming on today to put someone on blast.  And that someone is Madison Brooke Westley, otherwise known as my brother's ex-girlfriend, the vocal legend and super duper pop star.
The fact that my brother used to date a pop star in the first place has me cringing as it is. 

 

I know I shouldn't be meddling but I don't have to hide behind a computer screen to say this.  I can tell her these things to her face.  I'm not afraid of her. 

You see, we're awaiting the verdict on Bassy's custody hearing for their daughter, Kaydence, who, btw, has been staying with me ever since she met Skylar at the haunted house in Central Park.  The verdict will come down any day now.

And Ms. Westley has spent her time wining and dining the twin princesses and performing private concerts for them.  Every time you look she's showing her mug off in the papers next to the princesses like she's their best friend.  I even hear she went shopping in the Square with Anastasia, even though Anastasia is barely eighteen and Madison nearly thirty.

Shows you where her priorities are.

 

Meanwhile, her poor little daughter spends her nights crying and wondering where her mommy is.  She's schmoozing with princesses and her own little princess is neglected.  If I were the magistrate I'd make sure she never sees this kid again.   

Thankfully Sky is there playing with her as a companion and stuff.  I hope they're not as bad an influence as they could be to each other. 

 

AJ and Sage are going to kill me...

Hi everyone.
I know it's been awhile since I've written. 
The last time I put fingers to keyboard, we had just gotten back in Sunset Valley for the holidays and were awaiting word on my brother Bassy's custody case.  We're still waiting on that one. 

Well, a lot has happened since then. 

AJ went back to Hidden Springs just before Christmas because of the big blizzard there and he had to go help out there.  A part of me is thinking he also went back to see that quirky girl Alexandra but that's just me.  The fact that he continues to see her despite my reservations is, well, what can I say?  He's a grown man.  I can give advice, but I can't live his life.  He has to do that.  And I'm seeing some evidence that he's starting to. 

My husband and I have had discussions with him about college.  Andy's attitude is, well, it's not a necessity that he go, that he doesn't have to go, that it's his choice whether or not he goes. 
AJ knows what I think, and I don't hesitate to tell him that.  "I'd very much like for you to go to college," I told him, "I can help you with the admissions process, just like I helped Sage."

"Mom," he shouted, "I'm not Sage.  I'm not college material."
"I know you're not Sage, but I think you can benefit from college just as much as she will."
"I don't want to sit in a classroom all day!"
I took a deep breath.  "You don't sit in a classroom all day.  You can at most take one or two classes at a time and the rest of the day you do other things.  There are all kinds of interest clubs you can join, fraternities, make some new friends there too.  You'll have fun, you'll see."
"I'm military.  Fun is not in our vocabulary." 

As for my college-bound daughter, Sageblossom Margaret otherwise known as Sage, she is ticked at me to say the least. 
You see, I made the mistake and told her that I applied for an adjunct professor of paranormal studies vacancy at the university. 
I'm still chief archivist at the supernatural museum in Moonlight Falls.  It's an incredible job full of rich history.  But I'm seeking another challenge and, even though teaching scares me a bit, what good is all this if you can't share it? 
I submitted my resume online and I'll hear perhaps next week if I've got the job. 

Sage is valedictorian of her class at Alpine Community School and I will be the proudest mama ever when she stands up there and makes her graduation speech.  She has three scholarships, a general honors scholarship, a writing scholarship, and she has an arts scholarship.  She doesn't know exactly what she'll study, she has told me she wants ALL the degrees, lol.  She has also told me she wants to live on a huge ranch with a bunch of animals and a garden and a pond.