Those of you who have known me since he was a baby may be interested to know that 45 minutes ago, when it turned September 15, my son became a teenager.
HOLY CRAP!
From a non parent, does that mean he’s gone into double digits, or that he’s the first year with a teen in the number – 13?
He just turned 13.
Congratulations, OpalCat. Now, just a few more years and he’ll be a card-carrying adult. Our daughter’s birthday is tomorrow, and she’ll be 21.
The little shits sure do grow up fast, don’t they?!
In just three more years, he could be driving!
Congrats and sympathy! Has he started getting sullen yet? And can he now sleep for 24 hours straight? 
Waitaminnit. Is this the same Dominic who was no more than 7 for RTFirefly’s dopefest where I threw a frisbee that hit (but, thank Og, did not do anything to) their glass porch door?
That was just six years ago! How could …
::does mental math::
Sacred Og in a tutu dancing to ABBA when he thinks nobody’s watching.
There oughta be a law.
Technically he is already driving. This summer when we were in New Hampshire, I took him out on a back road in the middle of nowhere and showed him how. He’s big enough, physically, to do it, and so if there were ever an emergency where he HAD to, I wanted him to have at least a basic understanding. It was basically pulling out of a driveway, driving 500 feet down a road, stopping at a few “landmarks” (“that tree” etc), going around the cul-de-sac, then pulling back into the driveway. He did it about 5 or 6 times and I think he could drive somewhere if he absolutely had to now.
The fun is just beginning. My older daughter can* drive *now.
:eek:
Some of you have known me since before I could drive.
Next summer, I’ll be able to drink legally.
All I can say is only REALLY OLD people are the parents of teenagers!
Does that make you feel better? 
Congrats (?), Opal! My son turned 13 in July, so I’ve got a few months’ experience to be able to tell you…IT’S HELL! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
Nah, not really.
The most fun/annoying (fun for me, annoying for him) thing that’s going on right now is that he and I sound exactly alike on the phone. (I’m an alto who often sings tenor.) It bugs the shit out of him when he answers the phone and the person on the other end assumes it’s me. And it embarrasses his friends when I answer the phone and they assume it’s my son, and I say, “No, this is his mom.”
ETA: Dinsdale, you suck!
I know, I know. The truth hurts.
Look on the bright side.
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He’s a responsible kid and hasn’t really turned to the Dark Hormonal side yet.
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He’s still years away from being on your insurance or handing you his tuition bills.
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Hi Opal!
I tell my parents this all the time. I’m their youngest daughter and am now 22. They don’t appreciate it. 
Opal, just be glad he’s not a girl. I think more guys have an easier time with at least the early teen years than girls do - I firmly believe that 11-to-14-year-old-girls truly are evil.
This thread made me realize that people were posting on this message board before I had ever even been on the internet.
Holy crap.
I started posting on the SDMB (on AOL) around 1996 I think. Maybe it was as late as 97, but it was right around that time. Dominic was a baby, I know that much.
My dad when I turned 30: My God, you’re 30 years old! You’re *old *now.
Me: Yeah, but at least I don’t have a 30-year-old daughter.
This thread gave me pause. My husband shares your son’s name… along with his grandfather, one uncle, one great uncle and four cousins. No I’m not exaggerating. There are 8 Dominics in his family.
So, um… Auntie?
I remember when we called Dominic Nicky. Geez. I’m old.
Having met Dominic, though only briefly, I think you are going to win the jackpot in the Teenage Crapshoot, Opal. He seems like a very nice young man.