子どもの自我が芽生えた頃、誕生の瞬間から自分の分身だと思い込んでいた小さな存在が、実は自分とは全く別個の人間なのだという事実を突きつけられた。それから10年余りがたち、その子は15歳になった。

初めて親になってから十数年間、たくさんの刺激的な「初めての瞬間」を一緒に体験させてもらった。そして今、初めての思春期を（再）体験中。思春期というと、渦中の10代が主役とされがち。でも、実は意外と、親の方が大きな役を与えられているのかなと感じる。そう、裏の主役。10代の子を持つ親が、子を自由に解き放ってあげること。この思春期の物語の隙間にある「スピンオフ」をしっかり綴ることが案外重要なのかもと、最近思う。

アラフィフ坂から見下ろす10代の海原はキラキラと眩しい。ところどころに見える荒波や渦潮だって、冒険の予感にワクワクする。一緒に漕ぎ出したい気持ちを抑え、この陸の上から見守ることがスピンオフのストーリーラインだ。ってことは、かなり地味な内容になりそうなスピンオフだけど、親世代限定公開ってことで。

When my first child started to develop her own identity at the age of 2-3 years old, I had to accept the fact that the child, whom I was believing as my alter ego since her birth, was an individual person with different personality and character. About a decade later, the child turned 15 years old.

For the last 15 years since I have being a parent, I had a lot of wonderful and exciting “first-time” momentes with children. Right now, I am experiencing her going through puberty. When it comes to this theme, people tend to talk about the teenager as a main character with problems. But actually, we, parents are the troubled ones. It’s all about us letting go off our child and becoming independent from them. Which means, parents of teenagers have a hidden yet greater roll to play in the story. If there is a ‘spin-off’, we will be the star! So, it is on our shoulders whether we can contribute to a ‘good’ spin-off story or not.

Standing on the 50’s Hill, I am looking down at the blue water of the Teens Sea shimmering beautifully. Even troubled waters and whirling waves spotted here and there get me thrilled as I can feel the sense of adventure. Trying to hold down my excitment to set out on the journey with her, the story line of the spin-off is to watch her from the hill… which means the spin-off could be very low-key but the screening of it will be for parents only anyway…

photographed in nov/2008