Junior High - Yikes.

Aww..He once looked up to me

After my “baby Love” post, NotInMod readers (ok, reader…singular) pointed out that my nephew, Cameron, was not getting adequate press time. Unrelated sidenote: Rachel, thank you for reading. 

Cameron is my 12-year-old nephew who I love very much. I am convinced he loves me too, although his actions make that debatable. Maybe he senses that I know nothing about 12-year-old boys, and if so, he is very right. I didn’t even know about 12-year-old boys when I was a 12-year-old. #singlepreteen



I think this shirt is really funny. Look at him - he's a heartbreaker!

Here are a few things I know about my nephew:

• His birthday is May 30, 2000 and he will be 13 next month.
• He used to play the clarinet, but he recently traded that in for a miniature tuba. BTW – a miniature tuba is not called a tuba. I don’t remember what it’s called, but I do know that it’s heavy.
• He is in wrestling and he is REALLY good. Do not let his size fool you – that kid is a fighter. He obviously takes after his mothers and aunts, who used to practice women’s wrestling on our parents’ king size bed growing up. It wasn’t as weird as it sounds, I swear…
• He is hilarious - also takes after his aunts (sorry, Kim)
• He is very into Black Opps and gaming, two things I know close to nothing about. 
• He is one of those super smart kids that gets bored really easily because they are usually a step ahead of everyone. Especially ahead of his family after we've had a few cocktails.
• He tries to hide it, but that kid is FULL of love. I have a feeling he is secretly a hugger like me.
• He thinks I am incredibly lame.

In an effort to try to be a better aunt to Cameron, I wanted to tap into what it was like when I was his age. My life at Plum Grove Junior High (we called it SCUM Grove – great pun) was really quite pathetic. I was obsessed with Titanic, the Spice Girls and ‘NSync. My weekends consisted of following my sisters around, drinking too much Mountain Dew and making up dances with Carreen. I lived in fear of getting my period at school and often had a sweatshirt tied around my waist. I was caught cheating on the pig dissection exam in 7^th grade, and cried more than most people cry in a lifetime.  



Carrie Keller - age 12
Yikes.



And like all girls in junior high, I wanted SO desperately to be cool. I remember letting a popular girl see my science project, and when she cheated off of me, I took the blame. I got in trouble for hitting kids with seatbelts on bus because that’s what the cool kids in the back of the bus were doing. And worst of all, I remember making fun of a kid for not having any friends, when I actually sort of wanted to be his friend.

I don’t remember if I was nasty to my parents when I was in junior high, but I suspect that I was. I am sure that I being friends with my aunts and uncles sounded like a lame thing to do when I would rather spend time with the few friends I had. So in retrospect, I don’t think I can blame Cameron for not wanting to open up to me. If I thought I had it hard, kids these days have way more to deal with. I read something the other day that said 6 out of 10 girls stop doing what they love because they are too self-conscious. And when I watch the news and hear the horror stories about bullying, I can understand why. It is a tough world out there, and I am sure that most 12-year-old boys don’t want to turn to their aunt (no matter how insightful she may think she is) and open up.  

So I can’t take it too personally when he tells me I am boring. I just need to remember what a great kid he is, and have hope that one day he will turn around and think I am great too.