Growing up, there was a popular sitcom titled “Life Goes On”- I loved this show. I wanted to be Becca, the main character who was a young teenager navigating life with school, family, and the daily trials of being a teenager.
As an adult, when I reflected on the show and the character, I found some insights that I didn’t notice as a kid.
Life Goes On is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989, to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thatcher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Libby, and their children Paige, Rebecca and Charles, who is known as Corky. Life Goes On was the first television series to have a major character with Down syndrome.
In the sitcom, I could relate to “Becca” because she was a bit socially awkward, she felt misunderstood, but at the end of each episode, she always returned to her family for support and the advice that she usually gleaned from was her brother Corky.
There are a lot of life lessons to be learned. I didn’t put a label on the brother, I just thought it was great how the brother was able to give some helpful tips to the main character. I didn’t think it was uncool what the family did, sitting around the table talking, it validated what my family was instilling in me.
As a mom navigating adolescence and the teenage years, there are so many stereotypes of what is cool and uncool, what is socially acceptable, how to remain true to your values, yet not stand out too much in the sea of middle schoolers.
What stands out to me the most is how to teach empathy not sympathy in our youth. How to walk in someone else’s shoes for an hour, a day, or even a week and realize that life is so much more than what the Influencers are posting on social media and what the “popular group” is doing at school.
With that being said, Scott and I were trying to think of a way to create a space for our girls to have independence and time with friends, however still have that feeling of “coming home” to a soft landing.
So, we decided to take on a new project and recreate the backyard for a hangout spot!
We asked the girls what they would want if they could reimagine the backyard trampoline space. They both wrote and drew ideas, the wish list, the must haves, and the must have nots.
The items included long couches with fluffy cushions, cozy blankets, a fire pit, lots of string lights, fun Bohemian decorations, outdoor games, umbrellas, cool art decor, tropical or succulent like plants- kind of a juxtaposition, and a table to play games and eat at.
We also told them that we had a budget. The outdoor area had to be completely renovated, weeds pulled, take out current pavers, etc. So, in the upcoming weeks, we will explain the nitty gritty details of how we transformed the backyard.
However, the point of this post is to not explain the entire project. The point of this is to show that as a family grows and evolves; don’t give up on the time spent with each other.
Is this going to escape us from the throws of teenage years? Of course not, but maybe we can have glimpses here and there of laughter, kids still being silly, and knowing that Life Goes On, no matter what is thrown our way.,
In three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life:
It goes on.
-Robert Frost