Young Lion Syndrome (also known as YLS)

Young Lion

I am the mother of four children, three of which are boys. Any mother of boys will tell you what strange creatures they are, these boys. As small fries they run willie nillie throughout the house, climb on every structure that stands above their own heads in an effort to peer at the world from above and face every challenge in their small life fearlessly, that is until something stops them to make them think about it. As they approach adulthood, they enter into the realm of adolescence.

Ahhhhh. Adolesence. It is a state of being that begins at the age of thirteen and doesn't really end until they have left the nest,but for today's purposes we will say it concludes at the age of eighteen. This is a large span of time to the parent enduring the agony of adolescence. As the victim of YLS I know from which I speak. I am now steeped in the middle of the third son's agonizing transformation into a adulthood.

I just felt the need to document for those mothers of daughters only, not to exclude mothers of sons, the symptoms of YLS to hopefully elicit some form of sympathy. Alas, here it goes.

A young lion with exhibit these telltale signs:

1. An innate knowledge of all things. He will attest to know more about everything than any old lion, which serves only to incite an immediate adverse reaction against the young lion from the old lion. In other words, the old lion wants to give him a swipe of his large meaty paw.

2. An uncanny ability to push himself beyond his own physical restrictions. In other words; surges of testosterone give them a false sense of physical invincibility. This is manifest when he drives an automobile faster than the limit permits or he places himself in a situation where he very well could get killed. Being dead is the farthest thought from the mind of a young lion. They are so full of life.

3. A false bravado instantaneously detectable by any experienced old lion. It is perceived by another young lion as an invitation for altercation - bring it on baby. The old lion will terminate the aggression with one swipe of his meaty paw, thus putting the young lion in his rightful place - subjugated to the old lion. Often times an egregious roar from the old lion is all it takes.

4.Expressions of dissatisfaction in the form of heavy sighs and grey scowls. This sign will elicit a response from the old lioness. Inciting a desire to scratch the uninivited expression from his face and send him scurrying back into his den, his tail between his legs.

Such are just a few of the symptoms of YLS.  I pray we all survive.

Old Lion

 Love,  Jeannene