Yesterday we posted a compilation of tweets about parenting that either strengthened your resolve to never have kids, or, if you already have them, made you laugh and feel like you’re not alone. If you’re in the latter group, you already know what comes next, and we hope you’re prepared: your kids turn into teenagers.
Maybe it’s not as dramatic as it sounds. As a matter of fact, even if it’s been a while since you were a teenager, you’ll notice that not a lot has changed. Arguing about doing household chores is a time-honored tradition, trust and data privacy remain areas of contention, and parents are still bewildered by their teens’ surly attitudes. While it’s worth mentioning that 15 to 17-year-olds, in a recent study done in the US, reported higher rates of stress and mental health issues than adults, the researchers say teenagers self-awareness in this area makes them more willing to discuss and address its causes, and also noted young people’s attention to social issues.
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For generations upon generations, we as humans have been reminding our parents that their sense of humor and cultural literacy are being buried by the passage of time. Parents going through this process now say that they’ve never felt more “boring”, and complain about the quality of their kids’ memes (any teenager who shows their memes to their parents is a brave soul - I’m glad I didn’t show my parents some of the garbage I talked about on forums when I was in high school.)
Being a teenager is also a time when you learn the skills that you’ll take with you into adulthood. After all, if you don’t like what your parents are making you for lunch, it’s time to make it yourself, even if it means having to learn what a cabbage is and how to use it.
Check out these tweets by parents who rise to the challenge, as frustrated and confused as they may be by the things their teenagers do.
My sister tried to slam the lounge door once when we were young. It had a doorwedge under it though, and after three tugs she stamped to her room and slammed her door twice to compensate
Nothing to be alarmed about. He's just asking how much time he has with his girlfriend. Together. In his bedroom.
My daughter wakes herself up and gets ready whilst I still sleep. She is old enough to sort herself out and take responsibility.
All parents should just do that. If they want to live in a pit, let them. Pay professionals to clean it when they leave home.
I am 33 years old and I have never heard the hashtag symbol also being called pound sign.
Simple, don’t argue with them and if they get cold it’s their own fault. I may ask my daughter to grab a jacket or jumper but if she refuses I tell her don’t whinge to me if your cold. And if she whinges I tell her I don’t want to hear it, I warned you so shut it. And that’s the end.
Maybe teens are cats. Or at least like my cat "look my soft belly, come and rub it" and after 30 seconds "hissss, what do you think you're doing rubing my belly".
Solution: don't wash anything that's not placed inside the laundry basket. When he runs out of clean underwear/tshirts/trousers he'll start to be careful. You are not your son's slave.
Hold on to the handle, lol when I learned to drive I called it the Jesus handle as my dad would grab it several times per minute to exclaim that "prayer". Our family calls it the Jesus handle to this day ^-^
As a 15 year old, this makes me feel much better about myself as I'm generally well behaved & polite to my parents. I wouldn't dream of acting so appallingly! These kids need a smack.
All so relatable. My kids are two boys, aged 20 and 17, and a girl aged 14. Eldest moved out a year ago. The weird thing is my kids never went through the typical teen stage. They have always shown their affection to us, like to hang out with us etc. All their friends love us as well, we’re apparently the cool parents. BUT...they still don’t do chores without being asked
Does no one remember what it was like to be a teen? I'm a grown woman, but sharply remember what it was like to be a teenager. Be kind to them (unless they're turning into a total bick, then nip that in the bud). Being a teenager sucks, this I clearly remember. I wouldn't do it over for all the money in the world and I feel sorry for those currently going through it.
No one mentioned how all teenage boys are living breathing "trash" compactors, and that the "trash" is every bite of food in the house
When my son turned 13, we let him start going home after school instead of to a neighbor's house, although the neighbor did keep watch on him to a degree. The very first day we let him do this, I had to work late. Just as I'm approaching the house, I can see fire trucks, ambulance, police, a TV van, and lights galore. My first thought was "what did he do?" As I got closer, I could see that they were there for another neighbor whose house had just burned.
I’m a teen and reading these made me feel like the most easy going and complacent teen in the world. I do my best to speak politely and eloquently, don’t despise public displays of parental affection, and my room is almost always clean. (Accept for my sewing/drawing/painting/homework space but that’s more clutter than dirty clothes and food)
I hate that these people are s******g on their kids in the most insecure awkward and upsetting periods of their young lives
My mom said: Keep them in a barrel and feed through the hole until they turn 13. At 13, seal the hole.
These are really funny ... but they make me super thankful that my son (an only child) wasn't really much trouble as a teen. We had one "rough" year when he was about 14 where he rolled his eyes a lot and spent a lot more time on his own and pushed us away. And then he turned 15 and he was our wonderful, fun, loving son again. Yeah, I don't know what we did right, but I'm thankful! (At 26 he's still really awesome.)
I feel like there is no "teenage" in my country because An Indian teenager would have been whipped to blue black for any of the above. Saying shut up to my dad hahaha can't even imagine, a slipper to my face even if I was dying. There was no closed door concept too so no slamming.
I found this article hard to relate to as my son was very easygoing. In fact the only time he squared up to his dad was when he was 12 and still small. Thank goodness! He is pretty big now and a lot older and has never given us any grief.
Every time I read these articles, I'm more and more happy i don't have kids and probably won't have any ever <333 I don't always make good decisions, but this one is def one of the best of them all.
When my daughter hit her teen years, I remember calling my mother to apologise for being such a s**t of a kid..I felt so bad for all the dumb c**p I did. She thought it was funny and never once said “I told you so”.
As a 15 year old, this makes me feel much better about myself as I'm generally well behaved & polite to my parents. I wouldn't dream of acting so appallingly! These kids need a smack.
All so relatable. My kids are two boys, aged 20 and 17, and a girl aged 14. Eldest moved out a year ago. The weird thing is my kids never went through the typical teen stage. They have always shown their affection to us, like to hang out with us etc. All their friends love us as well, we’re apparently the cool parents. BUT...they still don’t do chores without being asked
Does no one remember what it was like to be a teen? I'm a grown woman, but sharply remember what it was like to be a teenager. Be kind to them (unless they're turning into a total bick, then nip that in the bud). Being a teenager sucks, this I clearly remember. I wouldn't do it over for all the money in the world and I feel sorry for those currently going through it.
No one mentioned how all teenage boys are living breathing "trash" compactors, and that the "trash" is every bite of food in the house
When my son turned 13, we let him start going home after school instead of to a neighbor's house, although the neighbor did keep watch on him to a degree. The very first day we let him do this, I had to work late. Just as I'm approaching the house, I can see fire trucks, ambulance, police, a TV van, and lights galore. My first thought was "what did he do?" As I got closer, I could see that they were there for another neighbor whose house had just burned.
I’m a teen and reading these made me feel like the most easy going and complacent teen in the world. I do my best to speak politely and eloquently, don’t despise public displays of parental affection, and my room is almost always clean. (Accept for my sewing/drawing/painting/homework space but that’s more clutter than dirty clothes and food)
I hate that these people are s******g on their kids in the most insecure awkward and upsetting periods of their young lives
My mom said: Keep them in a barrel and feed through the hole until they turn 13. At 13, seal the hole.
These are really funny ... but they make me super thankful that my son (an only child) wasn't really much trouble as a teen. We had one "rough" year when he was about 14 where he rolled his eyes a lot and spent a lot more time on his own and pushed us away. And then he turned 15 and he was our wonderful, fun, loving son again. Yeah, I don't know what we did right, but I'm thankful! (At 26 he's still really awesome.)
I feel like there is no "teenage" in my country because An Indian teenager would have been whipped to blue black for any of the above. Saying shut up to my dad hahaha can't even imagine, a slipper to my face even if I was dying. There was no closed door concept too so no slamming.
I found this article hard to relate to as my son was very easygoing. In fact the only time he squared up to his dad was when he was 12 and still small. Thank goodness! He is pretty big now and a lot older and has never given us any grief.
Every time I read these articles, I'm more and more happy i don't have kids and probably won't have any ever <333 I don't always make good decisions, but this one is def one of the best of them all.
When my daughter hit her teen years, I remember calling my mother to apologise for being such a s**t of a kid..I felt so bad for all the dumb c**p I did. She thought it was funny and never once said “I told you so”.