As I guided a friend through the setup of her new Facebook account, I emphasized, “The key takeaway is that anything you share on your profile can be seen by anyone who follows you.” Just then, a notification popped up alerting me that my 13-year-old son, Lucas, had updated his status.
“Lucas is feeling frisky.”
“I’ll call you back,” I muttered, my heart racing.
I rechecked Lucas’s post, only to find that a friend of his younger brother had already commented with a simple “Wow.” My mind raced with images of other parents seeing my son’s rather inappropriate declaration. I quickly typed a comment that started with, “You’re grounded for life, you…” but recalled an article I’d read about Facebook etiquette that urged parents to avoid embarrassing their kids online.
Instead, I devised a plan that would surely mortify my son. I grabbed my phone, grinning like a mischievous character from a comic book, and texted him the unforgettable words: “How frisky are you?”
I could hardly suppress my laughter.
Within seconds, I received a response: “WHAT???????” Oh, the audacity! How could he pretend to be oblivious? I envisioned his round face, mouth agape in that unmistakable expression of his—his classic “I’m totally lying” face.
Feeling a mix of smugness and dread, I texted back, “I saw your Facebook update.”
His reply was immediate: “What are you talking about?????????????”
A wave of panic washed over me. Could it be that he hadn’t posted it? Sheepishly, I typed, “Umm, your Facebook says you’re… uh, feeling frisky.”
After what felt like an eternity, I finally got a text back: “OMG. I would NEVER post that! My friend did it. I logged onto Facebook on his phone and forgot to log out. OMG. I can’t believe you texted me that.”
The realization hit me: my poor, unsuspecting teen had been enjoying his day when suddenly he received a text from his mother asking, “How frisky are you?”
The rest of the day, I pondered how he could ever look me in the eye again without needing to run for cover. When I picked him up at the bus stop, I was relieved to see him maintain eye contact, his face not turning an alarming shade of green as he stepped off the bus.
He tossed his backpack into the car, came around to the front, and as soon as he laid eyes on my “I’m such an idiot” expression, he erupted in laughter, tears streaming down his cheeks. I couldn’t help but join in, both of us laughing so hard that we barely managed to catch our breath.
That night, as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t shake the thought: no 13-year-old boy should ever receive a text from his mother that reads, “How frisky are you?” This experience was a wake-up call, highlighting that parenting teens would require a lot more thought—especially when it comes to texting.
For more insights on navigating the wild world of parenting, check out our other blog post about couples’ fertility journeys at Make a Mom. And if you’re interested in learning more about artificial insemination, Wikipedia is an excellent resource.
In summary, this amusing yet cringe-worthy experience taught me that I needed to rethink every text I send to my teenager. After all, maintaining open communication is essential, but so is avoiding any potential embarrassment for both of us.
Keyphrase: Texting your teen
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