Parenting by phone

'Mum, you are nagging.'
Youngest daughter complains, two days after Glastonbury and our first phone conversation since before she left.
What she doesn't understand is that when you are parenting by phone, text and email, you've got a limited window of opportunity. I had a ten minute phone call in which to get in nagging, love and information. I needed her to know it was unacceptable not to call and let us know she was safe, tell her how much I missed her and how proud I was of her, pass on bits of gossip and find out what her plans were for end of term and summer holidays. Oh yes, and get her to chase up a Summer job opportunity I'd heard about before someone else got it. This is modern living I guess, we abbreviate in order to try and pack it all in. Things get lost along the way though. Because I don't think she realised how much I admire her managing to stay up all night dancing, how jealous I was that she got to see Tom Jones, Blur, Bruce Springstien and Kasabian, that I laughed myself silly recalling that she crept into the only cool tent on site and woke up to find it was the church tent and people were praying at her - loudly and in song!
Time passes, kids grow up, we all get a bit older. This is a summer we will remember, because it is so hot, so I hope it is a good one. I hope that both my kids hang around a bit this summer and chill out, that we get a chance to go shopping, have pizza nights, a laugh, and just a bit of nagging in there too. C'mon - it's my job, like doing embarrassing dances at family weddings.
By September, they'll be a blur heading back to college and uni - life whizzing by - decisions to make - futures to forge. I hope they enjoy the summer though.

Bloke has decided he doesn't like being referred to as 'Bloke' - not even 'The Bloke' - He wants to be a Geezer instead, but that doesn't seem right either. So, I'm going to call him by his name - Marc - because that's who he is and it suits him.
He's coming over later so I have to get on and write now, otherwise I'll be the one getting nagged!