Some wonder why teenage kids often believe their parents are (to put it nicely) slightly less than intelligent. My kids aren't in their teens yet, but I can speak from experience when I say that teenagers think their parents are a couple cards shy of a full deck, because those teenagers have no reason to think otherwise.

For example, when I was a child, my parents were constantly locking their keys in their cars. This was not a random occurrence, but more a weekly ritual. As a child, I grew to believe waiting on a locksmith or sticking a hanger in the window was just as much a part of my Saturday mornings as Bugs Bunny. I did not believe my parents were scatterbrained or mentally challenged. I just thought it was the weekend, and that was the time to stand in various parking lots while my parents cussed under their breaths as the locksmith opened the car door and got out the hanger stuck in the window.

As I reached my teens, I realized such things were completely abnormal for most of the civilized world. With absolutely no thought as to the daily trauma that comes with parenting and the grown- up experience, I firmly believed my parents were complete dopes. I vowed never to subject my kids to such parental incompetence.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long to break my vow.

I wish I could say I locked my keys in the car, but apparently I'm not that smart. I didn't forget the keys. I forgot my kid.

My youngest daughter participated in a cheerleading camp this past week. I was supposed to pick her up at noon. On her last day, at 12:03, I was deeply involved in a telephone conversation at work. At 12:05, I hung up the phone quite proud of myself for generating some business. At 12:10, I walked towards the fax machine to send some paperwork. At 12:12, I walked back to my desk and glanced at the picture of my family thinking about what a good provider, husband, and father I had become. At 12:13, I glanced at the picture again and suddenly realized I had forgotten all about that little girl in the middle of the picture currently waiting on me at cheerleading camp. My pride was quickly replaced by panic.

I arrived at the cheerleading camp at 12:20 and entered the gymnasium to find my daughter sitting alone with the varsity squad. I guess I couldn't forget my daughter at pre- school or her grandmother's house where one or two sympathetic adults would be waiting on me. I had to forget her in front of 20 teenagers who were undoubtedly thinking, "What a dope! I'll never forget my kid."

Well maybe not, but now that I'm an adult with multiple schedules to juggle, bills to pay, and lives to run, I am much more sympathetic to my parents and quite thankful they never forgot me. When I was a teenager, the only person I had to worry about was me. As long as I had my friends, Clearasil, and a decent tape deck, I was happy. It was easy to pass judgment on flustered, old parents.

Now that I am a parent and a husband, I firmly believe my mom and dad were and are incredible people. They may have locked their keys in the cars a bit too often, but they raised me and that took a lot more sense than I was willing to give them credit for having 20 years ago.

My kids, especially my youngest daughter, may think I'm a doofus in a few years, but hopefully, in 30 years, when she forgets her kid at cheerleading camp or locks her keys in the car she'll think I'm smart again.