I think I may be raising a deep thinking teen

Tropical Fish 2.5"x 3.5" mini ACEO watercolor

My 16 year old came home the other day complaining that he had planned to invite his friend, Joseph, over for a computer battle but Joseph couldn't come over because he had a date.

My son has a dating quandary, he has always has lots of girls he likes and he has gone on a few dates since he turned 16 (Mom's rule: no dating until you are 16!) when the girl has asked. But, he does not want to ask any girls out, because he does not want all the girls to think he has a "favorite" (his words).

I asked if the girl that Joseph was going out with was cute. His reply was an unenthusiastic "yeah, she's really cute".

I said "too bad you didn't ask her out first"

What he said next surprised me. "mom, I don't want to go out with her, she is pretty, but that's all she cares about, what she looks like and how much fun she is having"

I'm glad that at this young of an age my boy is not shallow, I wonder how much of his attitude has to do with what he has been through with his little brothers brain tumor, watching his brother suffer, at the brink of death, and realizing at a young age what the important things really are, or maybe that is just how he is.