Page - 96 - in Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Puberty and Adolescence - The Inner Worlds of Teenagers and their Parents

96 Development of feeling and puts the headphones by his side, ignoring his mother’s outstretched arm. His sister asks him whether he wants cheese dumplings – something he usually doesn’t eat. Today, he answers: “Yes, two pieces, please.” His father is still standing at the stove, cooking the scrambled eggs. He takes a cheese dumpling for himself and some of the scrambled eggs, too. The mother and daughter also take some and praise them. Then the father asks his son whether he also wants some eggs. Sebastian looks at him skeptically. The sister lets him taste one bite of hers. He grimaces with his mouth and turns up his nose, since he doesn’t like how they taste. The father reacts angrily: “You shouldn’t grimace that way if you don’t like the way it tastes. You can make yourself something to eat.” Sebastian: “I didn’t say anything. I kept myself from saying something negative.” The father is insulted. Sebastian: “Is there any cheese?” Father: “You can make yourself some bread and butter.” Sebastian gets up, cuts himself a piece of bread and spreads it with butter. Father: “There are still eggs, you can make yourself scrambled eggs,” which Sebastian proceeds to do, eating them with pleasure. Instead of enjoying being lovingly looked after by his father, Sebastian rejects the dish that was cooked especially for him. Only with reluctance does he follow his parents’ rules that he take off his cap and headphones at the table. He wants to make his own rules; what the others find tasty, he doesn’t. His reaction is unex- pected and unpredictable. Instead of an affectionate celebration of the children’s return from sports camp, tension gains the upper hand. The subject of Sebastian’s cap continues: The grandmother asks whether they are allowed to keep their caps on at school. Sebastian says “no”. Grandmother asks: “Why do you wear them?” Granddaughter: “They’re supercool.” The father says he also always enjoyed wearing a cap. In an ironic tone of voice, the daughter says: “But you wore them completely differently.” Sebastian also says there is no comparison. He demonstrates how his father wore his caps – like a country boy, with the cap drawn over his eyes – and imitates a mentally retarded man. Everyone laughs. Then Sebastian puts his on again, but with his bangs free and the ears covered. He turns to his sister, and when she turns away, her bare belly is revealed, whereupon he gives an exaggeratedly surprised look and imitates a sexually interested man who would like to take a closer glance at her. The sister laughs and pulls her t -shirt down, which then renders her breasts and bra visible. Everyone laughs. Sebastian continues teasing her, and they both laugh; she pulls the t -shirt up and down once again. Then they both decide to