Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Okay, so it’s not quite 2:30 in the afternoon, but my point is that after this post I’m signing off for the holiday week. (I’ll be busy.) In the meantime, we had a lovely Christmas program at church yesterday, at which my hubby played the organ and my oldest helped narrate and then played the harp with my hubby as piano accompaniment. Our family watched “Klaus” together last night, which was fun, and before bed I finished reading Jessixa and Aaron Bagley’s Dear Jackie, which I was considering for my 16-year-old for Christmas.

Here’s the thing. When I tell you I did not enjoy it, I need to immediately add that, objectively, it’s at least a 3.5 star graphic novel. I’ve always struggled with plots involving people who lie to make themselves cooler to other people, however, and I hate the inevitable fallout. (How can you enjoy anything when you know it’s bound to end badly?) Jackie’s pretend love letters to herself were not a plot element I was ever going to enjoy. Added to that, however, was the spate of unkindness by various middle schoolers, which was realistic but painful for me to read about. The seemingly endless drama of who likes whom and what should be done about it was bad enough, but the mean “friends” who claimed to be just teasing were worse. Again, realistic, but SO painful. I suppose I feel about Dear Jackie the same way I felt about Raina Telgemeier’s Drama–they’re both full of realistic middle school drama and experiences, but dang it, I’ve EARNED THE RIGHT not to relive junior high any more than my parenting responsibilities make me have to. I lived through it, I survived, and so help me, I am not going back there.

Anyway. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all, folks–I wish you all peace and joy. See you next week!