In defense of 15-year-old boys

Recently my coworkers were discussing 15-year-old boys. They reminisced about what a painful and difficult age that had been for them, and about how lazy and annoying they were at that age. One of them figured that most 15-year-old boys were a big pain, because of all the transitions they were experiencing.

I happen to have a 15-year-old boy living with me right now, and my experience with my nephew Parker has been the opposite of what my coworkers described.

Parker is charming. He's currently learning to play the ukulele, and one of the pleasures of my life is to hear the sweet sounds of him playing and singing each day. Here's a video of a song he recently performed at a year-end concert at his Jr. High School. He was dissatisfied with this performance, because he was a little nervous to be performing in front of so many peers and such a large audience, but it will still give you a sense of his sweet music:



Parker is hard working. He currently has a goal to learn to play 20 musical instruments before he serves a mission for our church at age 19. He works every day towards that goal, and has learned 6 instruments so far. He also works very hard at taking care of his health, recently doing the intense P90X exercise program.

Best of all, Parker is kind hearted and loving. He goes out of his way to help people. Here's a photo of him scrubbing the tables at the Murray City Park as part of his recent Eagle Scout Project:

Here's a favorite photo of myself, Parker, and my mother.

This week, school ends for Parker, and he and his sister Mallory will be gone for six weeks to live with their father. They will very much be missed.