My new teenager.

[puddle jumper]

Wow how they grow. My son just turned 13 today. Just what seemed like yesterday I was telling you guys about him being in Boy scouts "Cubs". The Cub car thread made me think of those days.

He had some of his friends sleep over last night and just about all of them can look me in the eye. Some of there voices are deeper than mine. I even over heard them talking about girls. Just a few years ago girls were the enemy.

I guess its time for the hormones to start popping and the dumb pill to be swallowed. I was once a teenager so i am ready for the ride.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: My new teenager.

I know how you feel. Wife and I were looking at old pictures this morning. My "little boy" (and only son) is now 6'2", 215 lbs., and turns 18 this Tuesday. Makes me pretty sad. He's planning on joining the military. I'm very proud of him, but don't want him to leave. I can't believe how fast he's grown up.

 

[rbh]

Re: My new teenager.

OH god, now it starts, right down all the stupid stuff you did at his age, show it to him, and tell you dont want to see any of this stuff going on.
Or maybe not, you might just be giving him ideas.
rob

 

[mscher]

Re: My new teenager.

I was once a teenager so i am ready for the ride.

LOL. No one is ready for this ride.

You will will use the "learn from my mistakes" mantra often. They will look at you like you recently arrived from Mars.

Good luck.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My new teenager.

be patient, leave blunt, and sharp objects out of reach. this is just the beginning, 3 more years and he will be putting 100-150 miles a night on the car, to go to the library. have hickeys on his neck, and places you don't even want to know about. you will be the stupidest person on earth, Mr. no nothing.

i hope you have the exception to the rule. but be prepared for anything.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: My new teenager.

My only advice is....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................and it works too!!

However, the grand payoff comes when you are presented with a grandchild.

Fill in those blanks with all that frustrates you and save it..... it will be years but I will tell you revenge is sweet

 

[JB]

Re: My new teenager.

I know two things for sure about raising teens. . .
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
...and they are both wrong.

But, seriously: Teens need adult confidants that they can talk to about what is on their minds without running into judgements; someone they can trust to keep secrets.

Just needs to be a respectable adult. . . NOT related.

I mentored half the kids in the neighborhood and my neighbor, the Nurse, mentored mine.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My new teenager.

agree with JB 100%.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: My new teenager.

We had two teenagers, the first and the last. What a ride! They are 27 and 30 now and we can finally laugh about some of the things that we went through. You teach them right from wrong, to respect others, meaning ALL others, and then you hope for the best. We consider ourselves lucky to have gotten through with nobody arrested for anything, no drug or alcohol issues, no major car crashes, and we ended up with 2 lovely granddaughters. Who can ask for more...........but I still don't know how the grill and bumper got caved in on the minivan.

 

[robert graham]

Re: My new teenager.

If you take them hunting, fishing, camping, boating, it can only help them get through those teenage years. I told my son, who's 40 now, that if he was set on acting like some kind of animal(knowing he was), then please do it in the woods, not in town or out on the highway. He's turned out pretty darn well, and still alive! Good Luck!

 

[WizeOne]

Re: My new teenager.

......But, seriously: Teens need adult confidants that they can talk to about what is on their minds without running into judgements; someone they can trust to keep secrets.

Just needs to be a respectable adult. . . NOT related....

Doesn't sound like this leaves much room for "bring up a child in the way he should go" and most certainly a 13 y/o is a long way from being fully formed.

IMHO, 13-18 is as important a period of upbringing as the first 12. I do however agree that you begin to give latitude as it is demonstrated as earned.

This is from someone (mother and father) who got, at least, one of the two things right, for two chirdren.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: My new teenager.

I can relate to what you guys are saying as I have been through this before. I also have two older kids 25 and 27.

My youngest was a surprise for my wife and I. He was one of the things that happened in my life that took me by surprise. I have no regret having children and would do it again if I had a re due in my life. My wife at the time was not feeling well and went to see the doctor. She came by work and told me and it floored me. What do you do your having a baby and that's that. Hes a good kid but time will tell if he changes.

I agree with JB as the village raises a child not just the parents.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: My new teenager.

Look forward to their 19th birthday. Things will get better. Our 3 boys are all way beyond that now thankfully.
Daughters are a different story. We have 2 of those as well. All through it and out the other side.

Our summary. We will take that teenage things with boys anytime over the girls !!!!

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: My new teenager.

My only advice is....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................and it works too!!

However, the grand payoff comes when you are presented with a grandchild.

Fill in those blanks with all that frustrates you and save it..... it will be years but I will tell you revenge is sweet

YES..........The step daughter and her idiot husband blessed us with the most darling 2 yr. old "munchkin" ever.

And suddenly that teenager that thought her Mom didn't have a clue now thinks she is a genius. She call's ten times a day to ask for Mom's advice.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: My new teenager.

I know two things for sure about raising teens. . .
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
...and they are both wrong.

But, seriously: Teens need adult confidants that they can talk to about what is on their minds without running into judgements; someone they can trust to keep secrets.

Just needs to be a respectable adult. . . NOT related.

I mentored half the kids in the neighborhood and my neighbor, the Nurse, mentored mine.

SO TRUE.

My big brother and I's "uncle" Gene was our next door neighbor.
We weren't yet teens but he definately influenced our lives.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid those are "days gone by" as that was in the
late 50's, early 60's.

Is it still the same?
If I live long enough to retire I'm going to pay back and devote some
time to the Big Brother/Big Sister orginization. It's the least we can do.

It's a different time and I think our youth needs all the help they can get
now. Our grandchildren's future depends on it.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: My new teenager.

Just don't give him any type of camera, phone, web, anything.......and he'll be ok.

Kids are just as stupid as they always have been, however now they don't have to pay someone to develop the pictures of them doing stupid things. Makes them more transparent.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: My new teenager.

Brings back a lot of memories. My "baby boy" will be 27 on Valentine's day.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: My new teenager.

It's going fast at my house too.....our 10yo daughter is hitting the pre-teeen hormones, the 8yo old is starting to show us that we will be constantly worrying about his judgement during his teen years....and the little one turned 3 in October. He has gone from looking like a toddler to now looking like a little boy in just a couple of months.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My new teenager.

thank God, i'm done. now, i get to make terrible kids, that my kids have to live with.
payback, is fun.

 

[QC]

Re: My new teenager.

I am so not "done" . . . Still have all three boys in the house, 21, 16 and 14 . . . The 21 year old is pretty much a non-issue and dong well in College, so I don't stress about him too much. All of their grades are decent now although that was a fight. The 14 YO is lucky he is not dead from (what is it called when a parent kills their kid?) We decided he needs to be a lawyer as he has not stopped arguing about everything and anything since he was (when do they usually learn to talk?) 16 YO has the mega serious GF and of course the driving stuff . . . Jeez. Seems never ending. Good luck Puddle Glad I could help