This is the view from our hotel window. Lovely, isn’t it? Paul and I are on yet another business trip to L.A. We are staying at the Hacienda Hotel conveniently located near LAX. There is a restaurant in the lobby called G. Willikers that bills itself as “a coffee, ice cream and martini bar.” Interesting combination don’t you think? As I am writing this, a  motorcycle is revving it’s engine and a car alarm is going off just outside my window, which I have open because the air conditioning does not work. Paul is out visiting job sites while I am staying in the room to get some paperwork done and nurse my cheap wine headache.

The last few days have been HELL. Hell with teenagers. And hell with running a business with employees who when you ask them to come to work on time respond by saying, ” I can’t because I am not a morning person.” I have to give Paul credit for his restraint and his ability to keep his composure. I think he can do this because he can blow off steam by venting to me, which he did for the entire  six hour car ride down here. He is upset mostly about his son Sam. Without going into too many personal details, let’s just say Sam is a  senior in high school who lacks the motivation to get a job or go to college. Enough said. Paul would like him to get a job and go to college; hence the conflict in our house.  I have tried to help Sam by throwing him job leads and making appointments with the counselors at the local community college. All of my efforts have either been rebuffed or been met with a lukewarm response. I am trying to save this kid from himself. We all are and I think that is the hardest challenge of being a parent. It is hard to sit back and let your kid suffer the consequences of bad choices you know he is going to regret. What is even harder in a blended family is knowing when to get involved in a parenting issue with a stepchild, and when to leave it up to the child’s birth parents. Since Sam does not want me to help him, I won’t. But I am still on call if he needs me and he knows that. He’s just being stubborn right now and it is up to his parents to set boundaries and enforce them. I’m just here to listen, offer advice and be a safe sounding board for everyone.

Now that that’s settled, I think I will head down to the martini bar and treat myself to an ice cream sundae.