Last night one of my partners in crime and I were deep into discussions about major issues in the media and debating the finer merits of modern literature over the classics, when..…Yeah, right!. I totally couldn’t keep that one going with a straight face. We were totally dishing about life and motherhood. It was then we stumbled upon why we both love the television show Lost. For the two or three of you out there who have not seen the show Lost, this might not make sense. But for those who are familiar with the show and are parents—especially of teens—there are many correlations between that show and the real life drama of parenthood.

We (the parents) have been thrown onto the Island of Parenthood without any idea of the “right way� to survive. We quickly learn that the best way to handle the entire situation is to band together. And much like the castaways of Lost, many of us would probably not have met each other had we not been put in these same circumstances at the same time. Together we are doing the best we can to make keep Parental Island a peaceful and safe place to inhabit.

The beloved Teens? They are the Others. You can hear them, but you never actually see them. Their mumbled taunts and silent grumbles make your stomach tighten up a bit in fear, but you aren’t even sure what they are saying. And let’s be honest, they can certainly make you feel like you are crazy. It is not unheard of for one of the Parents to frantically grab another and anxiously question: “Does yours roll his eyes? Have you ever heard her say that? Could they possibly eat that much food? How big DO they get? What do they want?� And that whole having to push a button at regular intervals in order to prevent the end of the world? We refer to it as the ATM.

In order for The Others and The Parents to inhabit Parental Island, there are rules that should followed. They aren’t law, but it is definitely recommended to abide by them. A few of them include the following:

Find a buddy and stick with them when traveling in this new territory. Do not go into the area inhabited by The Others after dark. Never underestimate the power of the Others. Whatever you do, do NOT get caught alone in a group of The Others. There is no guarantee you will survive or not be traumatized.

I am sure that the day will come on Lost when all will be revealed regarding the secret of The Others. I heard that day will come with teens. I am doubtful. Very doubtful.