Mother Always Knows Best

Since there is no school today or tomorrow, my daughter asked to go to a birthday party last night. Her first mistake was asking me as soon as I walked in the door and hadn’t taken my shoes off yet. I immediately said “no”. I need a few moments to get in the door and decompress before people start asking for things. The next day she texted me the flyer which advertised the party, she called me “Mommy” and asked again if she could go. Kids are so slick. So I started asking questions:

This is a night club. Why would I allow my 16-year old daughter to go to a party at a bar? It’s a teenaged girl’s party. The bar will be closed mom. From what time to what time? 7-11. Transpo? _______’s parents. How old is the girl that is having the party? She’s 16.

I tried to find the place online but they didn’t even have a website. I looked at the address and I was not comfortable. I remember my sister telling me about the place and saying that she and her husband go there pretty often because the drinks are so cheap. It’s a place for grown folks not teenaged girls.

When I got home from work yesterday, my daughter was in the shower, because in her mind even though I didn’t say “yes”, I didn’t say “no” either. I changed my clothes and went to the gym. After an hour I came home, checked out her outfit (jeans and a t-shirt with a big sweater) and I took a shower and washed my hair. Her ride came to get her at about 7:20 while I was under the dryer.

I had dinner, read my book, finished my hair and retired to the second floor. I was soon dozing while watching Dog the Bounty Hunter (don’t judge me). After a while the sound of my vibrating phone woke me up. It was my older brother. We were discussing our plans to go up north to see my father who’s been sick lately. Toward the end of the conversation I heard my daughter’s laughter. WTH?

I got off the phone and went to her bedroom and opened the door. There she was, in the bed, talking on the phone. Huh?

She proceeded to tell me the story of the evening:

The girls arrived at the party spot to find a long line forming outside the club. The management wasn’t letting anybody in. Supposedly, the party was free until 8:00, yet they didn’t appear to be letting anybody in until 8:00. (First of all, since when is there a cover charge for a 16-year old’s birthday party?) At 8:00 there were rumblings in the line that there was a $5 cover, then it jumped to $15, then it jumped again to $20. (Secondly, I know my child didn’t have $20 on her and even if she did, she wasn’t going to use it to get into this party. She’s very cheap). Then the line starts moving and they let in the first 10 girls and nobody else. The commotion outside this club was apparently too much for the neighboring business owners and the police were called. At this point, my daughter’s friend called her father and asked him to come pick them up. My daughter was brought home safe and sound.

At the end of the story, I said to my daughter, Now if I would’ve stood my ground and not let you go, I would have been the bad guy, right? Probably, but I still love you. Good night.

Is this how 16-year olds celebrate their birthdays now? At clubs? Who the heck is the mama in charge of this nonsense? When my daughter turned 16, she and a group of her friends went to Uno’s for dinner. Dinner. Who is renting out bars for teenagers? Ugh!