Goose turned fourteen yesterday. I feel so old when I think about being a mother of a teenager, but then I remember that I was just a teen when she was born and then I don’t feel as old.
Goose loves to sing. She is in choir and she sings and dances to Broadway musicals with her sister. All weekend she was complaining about having a scratchy thought. She said that she wasn’t able to sing high notes anymore.
“I used to have a beautiful soprano voice,” complained Goose, “But now it is gone. All I do is squeak. I can’t hit the high notes anymore. What happened to my voice? I want to sound like I did three weeks ago.”
“You probably strained your larynx when you got in that argument with your mother on Wednesday night.” The co-zookeeper told her. “Your larynx is a muscle just like any other muscle in your body, ” he explained. “If you strain it then you need to let it rest so it can heal. But your talking voice sounds just fine.”
“No it doesn’t,” Goose replied with a deliberate squeak. “The girl that I sit next to in choir says that my voice sounds off. I want my old voice back! I sound terrible. Why don’t you believe me?”
“Your voice sounds fine.”
“No it doesn’t!” She said, again with a deliberate squeak. “Why don’t you two believe me? “
“Stop talking,” I said. “Your voice needs to rest.”
“Why did this happen to me? I want my old voice back. My voice sounds terrible and scratchy.” Goose continued to complain.
“Okay, then we can set up a doctor’s appointment for you,” the co-zookeeper stated, trying to be helpful. “Then we can find out what is wrong with your voice.”
“No!” Goose yelled, obviously her voice wasn’t that bad. “I don’t want to go to the doctor. I just want you and Mom to believe me.”
“I’m sorry, we just don’t hear it.” Her dad replied.
This went on for about an hour. It didn’t matter how many times we told her to stop talking and rest her voice; she still refused to shut up. Are your teens this stubborn and sassy or is mine the exception?
This conversation took place on Saturday. Last night Goose was singing and dancing to her favorite musicals. That was a quick recovery.
Mine is a preteen and is totally that stubborn and sassy. She is so convinced of her rightness, even when she is blatantly incorrect.
Your post reminds me that storms pass quickly and to keep a smile on my face while they raging. The calm is soon to follow.
I have a 10 year old who has been a drama queen for YEARS! She's since rubbed off on the other children. Hopefully they'll make money off of their dramatics someday. LOL
They do make us feel old! All my kids are Drama kings and Queens. LOL
Doesn't the drama keep life interesting? 😉
LOL–she reminds me of myself when I was a teen! I was a vocalist too, was actually a voice major it in college for two years. Tell her that it is very easy to damage your vocal cords by yelling at others, and that sometimes your voice can be off because of the weather, a cold, or allergies. Tell her to gargle hot water with lemon, LOL, that should shut her up for a while!
Thanks for the comments and the tips, Jules. Her voice is much better now.
14 huh? Oh yes, I remember those times. When my daughters were 14 it started. Or got worse I should say. I think those were the years I almost lost my mind. So good luck. No really. :o)