Tia Bandavanis

My name is Tia and I'm very excited to join the Realteen team. I am a fun-loving, caring, and colorful person. I begin and end everyday with a smile. There is only one man in my life and that is my 15 yr. old son John. It's been my job to raise my son from a young age through his teen years. I am a single mom and I feel as though I have done my best to help my son become a responsible young man. I was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in the Maryland and D.C. area. I moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1992. I now consider myself to be a native. I miss family dearly but find ways to visit often. My home and heart is here in Onslow County. This is pretty much due to the fact that I have raised my son here and found it to be a great place to live. I currently teach preschool at a local preschool. I have been teaching for over 20 years. I love children of all ages and could not imagine myself doing any other profession. I enjoy outings with my son to the movies, watching football, visiting local spots such as the Lynwood Park Zoo, going to the beach, and canoeing along our local rivers. I look forward to writing and reading the blogs. I feel this is a great opportunity to explore my parenting role and others. Parenting my teen son has been very rewarding and challenging. However, I have learned that being an effective parent is about learning and growing along with my son!

See all from this author »

Onslow Alison Read Posts >
Onslow Lena Read Posts >
Tawana Humphrey Read Posts >

Dial M for Mom

February 20th, 2012 MJ Vieweg

Can you ever outgrow wanting your mom's reassurance?

Gus called me last week in the middle of the day. Since I was at work, of course my first thought was that something was wrong.

Nothing was wrong. Really. It was Finals Week at NCSSM. Gus had just finished an exam (physics -his academic nemesis) and it had given him a run for his money. He was not sure he had done as well as he had hoped to.

I didn’t know if he called for reassurance after his test or to try to prepare me for a less than stellar report card. I guessed the former and suggested he really couldn’t know his exam grade until he got it. And from what I could tell he tried his best.

I thought that Gus may have been a bit shaken after this test. Well, we have all been there. Sometimes we try our best and still don’t make the grade. Or get the job. Or save the marriage. And when that happens it can leave us rattled for a day, even a week and sometimes for a very long time.

He must have just got back to his room with thoughts spinning around in his head about his impending academic doom. He is sixteen, though, and striding toward independence. Gone are those toddler days when he would seek me out for comfort for his bumps and bruises; when just my hugs and kisses really would make everything all right again. So I was very humbled that he called me when he did for the reasons he did. I guess, as a mom, I still got it!

Do your kids ever come to you for reassurance or a pat on the back? How do you feel when it happens?

2 Comments on “Dial M for Mom”

Paula Patselas February 20th, 2012 7:54 pm
Out of my three teens, my 16 year old son is usually the least likely to come to me to express a need (other than for money, that is); so when he does, it is usually something that has rocked his boat emotionally, and it does make me feel pretty special when he seeks me out at a time like that.
And, I have just recently experienced the very sad reminder that a mom is a mom forever; a daughter is a daughter forever…..I just lost my mom last week, following a severe stroke. And it is really hitting me that never again will I be able to pick up the phone to call her just to chat or otherwise. She has ALWAYS been there for me during times of need, hurt, sickness or help with raising the kids – suddenly she is gone… and nothing yet in my life has been so profound as losing her.
We just need to keep on being the great moms of teens that we all are, being there when our teens need us – they will always remember that unspoken and endearing love.
MJ Vieweg February 22nd, 2012 12:44 pm
Thanks for taking the time to share, Paula. Yes, I guess our teen boys do struggle with being stoic. And my deepest condolences to you and your family at this sad time. Thanks for reminding us all how precious life is and how important it is to love our kids with everything we got and to make sure they know it. We won’t always be here for them, but the knowledge we love them will last a lifetime.