Do you remember when summer used to be a time for television reruns? There was nothing good on the tube, and we were forced to either read the newest Sweet Valley High or rent a movie from the local video store. Be kind and rewind, kiddos.
Now television execs are cashing in on summer hiatuses, giving viewers the opportunity to cool off on the sofa watching brand new episodes of summer-only series.
Not here, my friends.
I have lots to do this summer, and most of it involves spending time with my family and planning a bar mitzvah celebration. And you probably have lots to do too. I’m still going to write, but I have some oldies but goodies that I posted way back in the early days of 2013, when most of you weren’t reading. So I am going to repurpose some older content that I think you may enjoy. If you read it the first time, feel free to move on. All three of you.
Today I’m joining Tuesday Ten, where the topic is ten things I would tell my 16 year old self. I dug up the letter I wrote to Miss Know-it-All over a year ago, and pulled out the best ten pieces of information I had for her.
1. When you take your driving test next month, don’t forget that last stop sign. Missing it is an automatic fail. I speak from experience.
2. No matter how fit you are after you have children, you will have stretched out skin that will only go away with surgery. So wear a bikini NOW. You look great, and you only have 11 years left.
3. That guy you think you’re gonna marry? You’re not. But the one you end up with will be your soul mate.
4. Start working out now. It is so empowering to be physically fit and strong.
5. Don’t worry about only having a few close friends. You will be blessed with fabulous women in your life as you get older – none of whom you have met yet…
6. …with the exception of your mother and sister. You never stop needing Mom, and the little sister who annoys you now will become your most loyal and dearest friend.
7. Get a good bra and enjoy the girls – they won’t be perky forever.
8. Don’t be afraid to try new foods. Otherwise you’ll waste the first thirty-ish years of your life not eating yummy things like mussels and mushrooms.
9. WEAR SUNSCREEN. It will keep the wrinkles at bay and it could save your life.
10. That stubborn, quick tempered streak you have? Just wait until you meet your daughter.
What would you tell your 16 year old self?
Thank you for sharing this! I am inspired to write my own list now 🙂 Maybe I can even share it with my kid sister when she turns 16 in 5 years.
That would be lovely, although I’m not sure she will listen!
Yes to #9!!!
Such an awesome list! So much yes to 2 and 4!!! OMG, all those years wasted not appreciating what I had!!-Ashley
I know – it’s the folly of youth!
I love #10 but I think #1 is my favorite. Because that advice is really the most important to a 16YO with a drivers permit.
So true! Although I doubt my kid will listen to that advice, because what does Mom know anyway?
I would tell myself that don’t worry, you will eventually be kissed, and don’t ever put sun-in in your hair. Your hair is too dark for it!
Oh – I should have added that! I used Sun-In and my hair turned a lovely brassy shade of orange.
Those are awesome things to tell your 16-year-old self!
Thanks – I think so too. 🙂 But my 16 year old self would have probably just rolled her eyes and walked away.
Hehe I always love reading these posts! It’s so funny the things that we were so overly concerned about back then right? I love what you said about your dress. I laugh thinking about clothes I thought were so cool back then too. 🙂
And then I wonder what we’ll think about the clothes we (or our kids) are wearing now. Will we wonder how we could ever dress our kids like that?
I love this! I too have an awesomely stubborn daughter, and yes, she does get it all from me. Curse you, karma!
And I second #7. A good bra is a must!
I just tell myself that stubbornness will serve her well one day. That and the good bra!
Great list! Good idea to give yourself a little summer break. And I love any post (new or old) that starts with a reference to Sweet Valley High.
Did you love those books too? I wanted to be Elizabeth so badly.:)
Oh this is soooooo good! I love this, and so many I would say to myself too. You’ve got me thinking about what I’d say….I know a shit ton of them would be in the vein of: YOU ARE LOVED. And special, and have so much to share. You MATTER.
ahhhh,
superb list.
I look back and think “Damn, you look good…” but I didn’t think so then. WHY?
Number 6 HURTs.
xx
I can only imagine, Kim. I’m so sorry, and it makes me so sad and angry that you have to hurt. xoxo back at ya.
I love this! I wrote a more serious letter to my 22 year old self, in a ‘looking back ten years’ sense, but I might have to do one like this, too. So true about close girlfriends! And yes yes yes to sisters- I was that annoying little sister and we are closer than anything now 🙂
I suppose sisters are annoying to one another regardless of the birth order! But I’m glad you’re close now. It makes me a little sad that my daughter doesn’t have a sister, but maybe she’ll gain one as a sister-in-law some day.
I totally should have worn a bikini when I was sixteen! I thought I would always be skinny…how times change! 😉
I know! Motherhood is a wonderful gift, but it doesn’t do your midsection any favors.
I’m with you in getting a good bra! Not a lot of people believe it’s a good investment. I’d also tell myself the same thing. Hmf! And wearing sunscreen too!
I’m a big believer in buying good bras – some things aren’t worth skimping on. And that goes for sunscreen too – it’s cheaper than plastic surgery!
My smile grew wider with each point Dana. But it positively cracked wide open with #10: “That stubborn, quick tempered streak you have? Just wait until you meet your daughter.” So, so, so true. On that one point I have to say I am rather glad I wasn’t able to look into the future to learn that I would have a daughter who was the equal of me in the stubborn department …
Ha – I know what you mean! To my mother’s credit, she has never once said anything about karma. I will have to follow her lead if I become a grandmother to a clone of my girl!
Great list, Dana!! I especially love #10. Except I don’t remember being as sassy as my daughter is…and she’s only ten now!
I don’t think I was either, although our memories probably aren’t as clear as our parents’ are!
I love the one about the bikini!
I’d tell myself to eat ALL THE CARBS while I was still young enough to burn them off!
Yes! But I’d also start eating healthier earlier, so it became a habit while I was young. That carb addiction is very hard to shake.
I LOVE #10…..I can SO relate to that one! LOL
I’m sorry you can relate…but not really. I wouldn’t trade her for the world; I just need a break sometimes!
Oh so fun. Ah, 16. What would I tell her. I’d say, “Honey child, you may think that Ryan hung the moon but by 30, he’ll be bald, fat and on drugs.” Ok, that was harsh. I’ll say:
1. Grow out the bangs now. There. Good girl.
2. Processed food.. blah blah
3. One day a magical world called Facebook will come to be and all of these people you can’t wait to get away from will be able to look at pictures of your kids.
Would you really say “honey child?” Poor Ryan. I don’t think we could have ever fathomed Facebook when we were teenagers…makes me wonder what we can’t imagine now that will be reality in a decade or two.
I love this. Stars by the sunscreen tip as well as the love your mother. ;). I would also add figure out what fills your spirit and figure out how to do that for the rest of your life.
That is great advice – I’m still working on that one…
HaHa – I failed my first driving test for the very same reason – apparently a rolling stop isn’t OK!!! And then I think I made it worse when I said that’s what I always did – oops!!!
Ha – I think I probably started crying!
“All three of you” made me laugh out loud. I always say I have 3 readers, but it’s more like 2 1/2 because I make my dad read. I have no idea how I get 2 1/2 out of that, but it is what it is, okay? Haha
Well, I’m a reader and I’m pretty short, so you can count me as the half.
Ha! That last one made me chuckle! I love all of these. I should have heeded the bikini one, too! 🙂 Glad you link dup today and love that you are repurposing some old content!
It was the perfect match with this week’s Tuesday Ten!
#10 – Ha ha ha. My mother keeps telling me how “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” In which case, I may be screwed. Stopping by from Tuesday Ten link up!
The apple doesn’t fall far very often – it’s our parents’ way of getting us back for the crap we put them through!
Hilarious Dana – from “all three of you” (which made me laugh out loud) straight through to the end. Loved it.
Thanks Steph! And since you weren’t one of the three back then, this was all new to you!
Awesomely repurposed, Dana. And this is a great way to stick around when life keeps you busy.
What would I tell my 16-year-old self?
1. You really aren’t fat. I know you feel like you are, but you’re not. Start taking care of yourself now – it’ll be easier to maintain than get back.
2. Don’t be too lazy to study. Yes, you can get by. But if you learn now how much better it feels to excel … well, your college career won’t be spent skirting academic probation every other semester.
3. Talk to her. Ask her out. All she can say is no.
#1 – YES! I would tell myself that too. and #3 – I bet that is something many guys would tell themselves. And that really applies to anything in life you are scared to do. Just take a risk and do it. The worst you can do is fail, and the best you can do may be amazing.
Loved all of these! I would tell myself that all the high school drama will eventually fade away and mean absolutely nothing…so don’t let it get to you now!
That’s a great one. Fortunately I didn’t have much high school drama, and by age 16 it was pretty much behind me.
I’m so proud that I was around when this was here the first time. I like the idea of sharing oldies. And I still agree with your lessons to your teen self… especially never not needing mom!
I’m glad you’re still here, Kate – you are one of my first blog friends. Sorry for the rerun!
Loved your list Dana! I remind my 16 year old daughter about #10 all the time! Karma! 🙂
Exactly! I can’t believe yours will be off to college – where did our babies go? Thanks for commenting, Jodi – it’s good to see you here!
I woulda told myself not to have FOUR children – except not sure which one I could live without :).
Fabulous list Dana, especially as I consider a tummy tuck (not gonna happen), stay as far away from my (only) daughter as possible – and she’s only 8 – and thank g-d for my husband every day! We have a bar mitzvah too this summer – Mazal Tov to you guys!
Thank you – and to you too! I’m much more laid back with the second one, although I am starting to panic that I have so much to do. But we’ll get there – at least my son is doing what he needs to do.
Right on!!
You know you get a lot of the credit for the food one…
I needed this when I was 16. Mostly because of the sunscreen (I was SO DUMB). I actually passed my driver’s test the first time which nobody was expecting! Love the “that guy you think you’re gonna marry? you’re not.” thank goodness for that!
Were you a baby oil gal? I cringe when I think of spreading that crap all over our bodies and just roasting.
Love this!! And, so funny, I failed my driver’s test the first time because I rolled through a stop sign at the end. It was confusing because the sign was well before the actual right turn, and I thought I just had to yield. Automatic fail. YES to mothers and sisters and sunscreen and all of it!
So I’m in good company on the driving test fail, huh? Good to see you back online, Nicole!
LOVE IT DANA!!!! Oh, that is just PERFECT!!!! And true. And hilarious.
Thank you, Chris. How lovely to wake up to your comment and FB share today. <3
Hell yes to the bikini and no matter what I do my stomach will never quite be the same! And #10, to know my first born is to know she gets her stubborn streak from me, too!
It’s karma, isn’t it Janine?
Oh I would my 16 year old self so many things! Most importantly, I would tell her to listen to her gut and to trust her instincts!
That’s a good one! Most teens don’t have the self confidence and trust in themselves to do that, but if we are fortunate we learn that with age.
This is a fabulous list! I would tell myself many of the same things, and I would also tell myself to stop eating wheat/bad carbs/gluten – it would save my body many years of trauma. I think I would also tell myself not to fear the unknown, and to go ahead and take some of those risks. There’s no harm in failing, but you’ll regret what you never tried.
So true, Alexa. I rarely regret something I did; it’s usually something I didn’t have the guts to do.