How did I end up with a kid who doesn't like to travel?
Actually that's not really the case. My 16-year-old likes to travel -- once he's on vacation. But, if given the choice, he would much rather be home hanging with his pals and eating everything I bought at the grocery the day before.
That's the thing about teenagers that I have to keep remembering: They can be real downers. And I don't even have one of those surly, uncommunicative teens. He's got a pretty sunny disposition most of the time. It's just that he's a home boy. He likes being in his house, with his friends, doing his thing.
Getting him past that couch-and-video-game-infused inertia takes some real effort. But this summer, I think I have the secret weapon that will work: Paint ball.
I don't understand the big draw, but somehow the prospect of shooting his sister, dad and I with paint guns has my 16-year-old ready to pack. And the trip isn't until the end of July.
What is it about guns and boys anyway? When he was little, I was one of those moms who never bought him toy guns. So he made them out of LEGOs. Or sticks. Or his hand. So the prospect of cradling a real gun in his arms and shooting real (paint) bullets has him chomping to go on vacation with us.
So, lessons learned. If I want to get my son excited about traveling with us, all I have to do is figure out a way to let him shoot something.
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