He's Stronger Than Me . . . But I'm Still Smarter

There are positives to living with 7th grade boys:
1. you always have someone to blame funky smells on- whether it's them or not- and they don't deny the smell, they assume the smell came from them.
2. they're impressed with their developing strength, so they're willing to carry heavy things to prove they're strong like ox
3. their sense of humor is maturing and they're actually funny (except for when they're not.  They're still learning the fine line of what's funny and what's just aggravating)
4.  they have insightful discussions and sometimes help to see the other side of things

Then there are situations that involve this:

This is single handedly the MOST irritating gesture on the face of the PLANET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  If you see young men in the 12-17 year old age bracket do this sign, they're not flashing gang signs (I hope, I don't think, I'm pretty sure.).  Pretend you don't see them do it.  Or, catch them off guard, and try to "break the circle" so that  you can doll out the consequences (necking- as defined below).  If they see that you have seen that STUPID gesture, they will neck you.  (Necking is when they drag their sweaty palm, across the back of your neck- hard).  It supposed to hurt.  

Andrew doesn't actually neck me.  But he is constantly trying to get me to look at this stupid gesture so that he can say, "Got ya!"  I'll be fixing dinner, minding my own business, and he'll walk up to ask, what I think is "What's for dinner?" But instead, he'll flash this sign at me. "Gotcha!" Open the fridge, get a drink, flash the sign.  "Gotcha."  "Gotcha again."  "Gotcha." "Gotcha." "Gotcha."  All night.  A L L    N I G H T!!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Previously I've been able to out irritate him.  In the past, he'd develop some new irritating habit, and I'd develop one in response that annoyed him more and he'd stop his new habit.  I have some gestures I'd like to flash at him- for sure, but . . . I'm not.  A) it's probably inappropriate to put your middle finger up at your 12 year old.  B) Once I open that "door" . . . It's all down hill.  I just have to think of something that is annoying to him so that every time he does that gesture, he'll be annoyed.  The trouble is . . . he has a surprisingly high threshold for what's annoying.  It's probably a defense mechanism from being in a middle school.  The other trouble is, when I do annoy him- he becomes physical.  His octopus arms expand and he's trying to hug me, or push me, or I don't know.  I can't fend him off.  He's too strong.  I tried kicking at him to get him away- but only ended up hurting my toes, on his stupid bony shins.  

I guess what I've learned is: his odor is stronger than mine, his arms are stronger than mine, and his ability to irritate me is stronger than my ability to irritate him.  I'm losing all the way around . . . except I'm more creative than him.  I just need creativity to kick in . . . any day now.


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