- Taras, do not forget to pick up winter coats from dry cleaners! I'll be back later today, because in the evening the meeting. - Alyosha, take a sports suit for physical education! Sandwiches for everyone in the kitchen ... Gather up quickly!
"What are you doing here?" - The last phrase was addressed to my fifteen-year-old daughter.
Irina had long since had to leave the house, but still stood in the corridor and slowly buttoned the buttons of the sweatshirt.
"Hurry, you'll be late!"
"It seems I can not go to school, Mom ..." she said uncertainly.
- Why is this? What happened?
"I do not feel well," her daughter muttered and deliberately coughed. Putting a hand to her forehead and determining that the temperature is normal, I said:
- In my opinion, just a sharp attack of pretense. Today is the control, right?
- Yeah, in mathematics ... Mom, well, let me stay at home ... I feel so bad ...
"Er, no!" Come on, daughter, without tricks!
- If I get a deuce, then you will be to blame! Ira said reproachfully.
- From what suddenly? You spent the whole evening chatting with Katya, and your mother's fault? And do not forget: after the lessons - immediately to the pool!
At work, I kept coming back with thoughts to my daughter, worried about her.
This year we transferred Irina to a specialized lyceum. Previously, she was an excellent pupil, and now there are problems with studying. The daughter complained that the controls were too difficult, that teachers were finding fault. The results of the first quarter were deplorable. She brought a few sevens. However, to that to be surprised! She rarely saw her for textbooks, often her daughter spent time in the company of girlfriends and in front of the TV. Of course, I swore, she snapped, we argued, even quarreled ... Irina's future was important for me. But what future can we speak about in the present time without a good all-round education? Therefore, I wrote it down in French, at the dance, in the pool. My husband and I did not spare all this money, considering the costs of studying the best investment. Previously Irina was an excellent pupil. But, since we transferred her daughter to the Lyceum, she had serious problems with her studies.
I returned home, already prepared for a serious conversation with my daughter. Irka was sitting in front of the TV, so she immediately received a comment. It was time for homework!
- But Mom! Protested her daughter. "No strength to learn all the time!" Brains are not iron! I need at least some rest!
- In my opinion, you do not study at all. Or do you think that the ratings will correct themselves while you watch your endless series ... So that's it! - I clicked the switch, and the screen went out - Until the performance improves, I forbid watching TV and going out!
- What? - Ira exploded. "Well, that's too much!" I'm not your robot, do not forget!
I could hardly restrain myself from falling.
- The question is exhausted! That's tightened in school, then you'll think about how to manage your free time.
"I still do not have this free time," Ira muttered angrily, lowering her tone, and looked at him with an imploring glance. Taras sat silently, not interfering in the squabble. - Dad, well, say something!
"My opinion coincides with my dad," I told my husband. "Now go and think carefully about what you are told."
"You would have me chained to the writing desk!" Cried her daughter and slammed the door with all her strength. Despite the sharp reaction, I hoped that Irina would still take herself in hand and begin to study normally.
But this did not happen . Soon, a parent meeting took place, in which the class teacher informed me that her daughter was unprepared, late for lessons, that her performance was catastrophically falling. In addition, a couple of days later, the French teacher called and asked why Ira refused to attend classes. When I was surprised, she explained that the girl had not been with her for three weeks. Everything inside me just broke. After that, another serious conversation with his daughter took place.
"I can not do anything!" Only cram and cram! Nobody so mocks their children! - Indignant Ira.
- I'm thinking about you! Education is your future! Without it, nowhere!
"I meant your education, like this stupid school!" Leave me alone! I'm tired! Cried her daughter.
"I love you too much to leave you alone!" Study is now the most important thing. A little patience, then you will live well! You will find a decent job, you will be provided, children can be educated. When will you finally understand ...
- But I do not want! I do not want to understand! I do not want to cram! I do not want to, do not raise my head! I want to meet my friends, live a full life! - My daughter stamped her foot and slammed her door.
"Do not you think, Zhenya, that you are too demanding of her?" Do not you raise the bar too high? My husband asked me.
"Are you defending her?" Or do I blame ?! - With irritation I answered a question with a question. - She should already understand that in life, not only entertainment is important. There are other duties! Otherwise, you yourself know that ...
"But it's only a fifteen-year-old girl." And, perhaps, she has too many of these duties. She's just afraid of them, think about it.
"But the girl must finally learn responsibility!" Do you know what her grades are? After all, I'm going to school! And you're kind. This, of course, is nice ... But someone has to be evil. It would be better if you supported me, and did not justify laziness and sloppiness.
The next day turned out to be cold, gloomy. The whole world seemed dark gray and did not promise anything joyous. She looked in disgust at the window. "This is Saturday," I thought. Today we with children have gathered in a new shopping center where it was possible to spend interesting and useful time. For a long time I promised my children to go there, take them to a Swedish cafe, give me the opportunity to play in automatic machines and take a little ride on a small ice rink. In addition, we were going to buy something in the children's rooms and stationery.
And before the exit you need to clean the house. Without delay, I began to do household chores and thought all along that the planned trip could help to find a common language with my stubborn teenage daughter.
"Mom, when are we finally going to go?" - Alesha was already standing in the corridor, almost ready to exit.
"Did you have breakfast?"
The son nodded impatiently, and I gently ruffled his hair.
"Then tell Irina to dress quickly, and wait for me in the yard." I'll finish it in a moment and go downstairs.
- Mama! Shouted Alyosha in a few minutes. - Irki is not!
- How not? In what sense? - I rushed into the room of my daughter.
Ira's bed was neatly made up, but she was not there. I searched for her all over the apartment: in the bathroom and in the living room - in vain. Then she threw a jacket and ran into the yard, but in vain.
- Irki is nowhere to be found. Maybe she went to the mall herself? - asked Alyosha, standing in the middle of the living room.
I was worried in earnest, inside everything again broke. Usually on Saturdays the daughter slept for a long time, it was impossible to wake up. And it's almost impossible to persuade her to go out before dinner. Especially in such a dreary, dreary autumn weather ... My husband and I again searched the entire apartment, even ran into the garage just in case, but Ira was nowhere to be found. Taking myself in hand, I sat down for the phone, began to ring up girlfriends girlfriends.
- No, Ira was not, - they answered me, promising to let me know if she would appear.
- What hit her in the head? I could no longer hold back and was ready to cry out or cry.
"You wait, do not worry like this!" Maybe she had some urgent business, and she did not have time to leave us a note. Most likely, Irka is about to return - my husband, unlike me, did not lose the presence of the spirit. "We'll wait a bit."
Looking into my daughter's diary, and counting the load three times, I was horrified. Her school day was equal to my worker.
It was difficult for me to sit and wait for the weather at the sea , when my daughter was gone, but there was no way out, I had to agree with Taras. About the planned trip to the store was now out of the question. Disappointed, Alyosha sat down in front of the television with an offended air. Taras took up his job, I began to prepare dinner, to occupy myself and distract myself from horrible thoughts. From time to time I looked out the window in the hope that my daughter would appear. But Ira did not return. We had lunch. The hands of the clock exhausted the circles, and I became more and more nervous.
"What happened, after all?" - unable to stand, finally, asked her husband. "It's not like her." She could not disappear without permission for so long!
"Maybe she wanted to be alone," Taras suggested.
- Wow! And she thought of us? After all, we are experiencing! - I was already close to hysterics. - We need to immediately call the police!
- But Irina is not only a few hours. Too little to claim disappearance. It seems that they must pass a day or more ... I do not remember exactly - my husband still tried to stay calm. - Come on, I'll take the car, I'll go and look for her ...
"What will I do?" Sitting at home and waiting ?! Cried in desperation. - Yes, I'm going crazy!
I'd rather go with you. Maybe somewhere we'll meet our scarecrow ... At that moment the phone rang sharply. Taras and I exchanged glances and, as if on command, rushed to pick up the receiver.
- Zhenya? - I heard my mother's voice.
- Yes, hello, Mom ... We have here ... - Daughter, I'm calling, because I have ... an unexpected guest ... Do you understand? The tube almost fell out of my hands. After all, my mother lived in two hundred kilometers!
- Hello, Eugenia? I say that Irishka has just arrived. I could not breathe, I could not speak. My fifteen-year-old daughter herself went so far!
"She's a little tired and cold, but it's okay." Ira admitted that she left without warning you.
- I'm leaving. Right now! - Having gathered with forces, I said.
"You're not going anywhere in this weather," retorted her mother. "It's late, it's dark." My granddaughter and I miss each other, and she will stay here on Sunday! And you will arrive tomorrow, we will sit all together, then calmly leave. This concludes the conversation. I did not have the strength to argue, and my mother was right. It seemed that I should have calmed down, because now it was known that Ira is safe, and tomorrow we will see each other. But I was still shaking. I took a pill and lay down. But the dream did not go. Lying and thinking about the latest developments. Did I make a mistake? Maybe, really, put before the daughter too high a bar? She jumped up, took out Irina's diary and looked at her schedule. Then she summed up the hours of classes, including all the extra lessons, the pool. I counted it three times, not believing my eyes. And how she could stand it till now! From the calculations it followed that my Irka was studying the same week as I was at work! But it's one thing I'm an adult woman, and another is a teenage girl. It is still growing, developing, and here is such a crazy load! In the morning - school, in the evenings - additional lessons. Even on Saturday, and that - lessons of dances!
Only now I realized that I overdid it . Too good is also bad. It's no surprise that Ira stopped coping. My husband was right. The poor child just had an over-ambitious mother. The next day we had lunch with my mother. She greeted us very warmly, treated me to a delicious homemade dinner, baked my favorite pie. Ira sat, not looking at anyone and not uttering a word. Taras sat down next to him.
He patted his daughter on the head and said that we were very worried about her. And our girl suddenly broke. She burst into tears, and then said:
- Excuse me. It was stupid. I will never do it again.
And when my mother and I were alone in the kitchen, she began the conversation.
- With the words of Ira, I realized that recently you are not getting along because of her studies.
- Yes ... Mom, I made a mistake, but only now I realized it. As if she had begun to see. Too much demanded of her, she pressed, she could not stand it.
- Ira complained that you do not take into consideration her opinions and desires. It is at this age that girls need so much understanding, in maternal support. Do not be too strict with her. Corning into a corner, you do not leave her out. Give at least a little freedom, it will help Irishka to become more independent.
Yes, and your relationship will quickly improve ... Your influence will be stronger, and the word - more weighty.
"Mom, now I understand that myself." Then she went into the room, sat next to her daughter, hugged her. She was embarrassed ...
"Mom, forgive me!" - Irishka again burst into tears. And calmed down, continued. "But I can not do so much!" Well, I do not have to be the best student in the class.
"Forgive me, too, sweetheart!" I was wrong. I wanted you to get maximum knowledge, but the load was too heavy. And do not have to be the best in the class. Just try, study. The rest will follow.
- I will correct ... I promise ... Only very much I ask you: cancel your prohibition, Mom! - The daughter wiped her tears with her sleeve.
"Already canceled," I smiled at Ira.
Irishka asked for forgiveness and promised to catch up at school, and I canceled my ban and said that I would help her.
- And by the way, choose from the additional that you like, from the rest we will refuse. After all, you need to catch up in school. And you need to rest. I'll help, we'll make it up.
- And I can invite Katya to us? - The daughter smiled for the first time in the evening.
- Of course, rabbit! All in your hands.