Ask Mr. Barker!

Dear Mr. Barker,

I'm 15 years old and my mom is driving me crazy!  She won't let me stay out later than 10:30 PM. Every body else gets to stay till midnight on the weekends.  I'm the only one who has to go home early. She won't let me go out with boys and I can't even sleep over at my girlfriends house.  I feel like I'm in prison. Everybody makes fun of me. I'm starting to hate her. How can I make her lighten up on me?

Signed. Need Time off for Good Behavior. Atlanta, Ga.

Dear Need Time,

It's not your mother's job to lighten up on you. It's her job to keep you safe and on the right track . I understand your wanting to do what the other kids do and how  embarrasssing and uncomfortable it is to be treated differently.

But - your friends will take their cue from you. If you're ashamed of your mom's rules they'll pick up on that and tease you.  If you shrug off your mom's restrictions with a so-what attitude you take away the possibility of your "friends" being able to hurt you.

Myself, I love to eat crunchies in the park. Crunchies are bones and pieces of meat that fall on the ground near the barbecue grills. Pickin's are especially good on Monday morning after a sunny weekend.  I know they're not good for me (they've way exceeded the 5 second rule by time I get to them) but I still go for them.

I have a difference of opinion with "she who must be obeyed" on the subject of crunchies. If she sees me going for them she'll get all bent out of shape and start yanking my chain. Literally. It's hard to see a whole pack of my buddies scarfing this stuff down while I have to stroll by like nothings happening. But that's exactly what I do. I know there's love behind her decision.  And, on some level, I know that it's better for me to just keep walking. So I accept the fact that I can't always have what I want; nor do I necessarily know what's good for me - especially when my feelings get in the way.

Your mom will lighten up in time. I'm willing to bet that one day you'll get a kid of your own and you'll understand exactly what's in your mothers heart today.

Peace and Blessings.

Mr. Barker