Surviving a Teenager in your Home!
If your children are still young, and don’t answer back, or not reached the stage where they use the responses below – by all means please enjoy it, but don’t be too smug just yet – because soon enough your children will develop into clones of their older peers!
1. “Drop me off here”
Parents wonder: Why do I work so hard trying to stay fit, dress nicely, and drive decent cars? This phenomenon seems to begin just as our Children go to Secondary school, and correlates to where parents go from being ok and passable to being basically clueless and embarrassing, and should be kept out of sight of their friends. And whatever you do, DO NOT, expect a kiss at the school gates!
2. “Everyone else has one”
Clue to dealing with this – either a) find one other child that DOESN’T have whatever it is in question, and then in true Bridget Jones fashion, make a “note to self” to call that mother and thank her for sticking to her guns, or b) Challenge your teen to name “everyone” – all of them! Then tell your child that you are happy to speak to “everyone’s” parents, and of course if all the other parents have said yes, you MAY, just may, reconsider.
3. Silence / Huh?
After getting no response from asking the same question over and over, one wonders if there is a hearing impairment involved. Then it comes … “Huh?” Well, at least you can now cross shopping for hearing aids off your to-do list!
4. “Whatever”
The way that Teenagers bring a close to so many conversations…did that word ever get used in its’ current way when we were young? It just seems so disrespectful the way that kids use it now….especially when used with “talk to the hand…..” Or am I just an old grouch?
How to deal with it? Sometimes I use the same phrase back to them for a shock tactic, but what do you all find the best thisng to do?
5. “I can’t find it”
Usually translates to “I haven’t really looked, will you look for me?” My teens used to be amazed, but not overly thankful, when I easily found the lost item, which usually was in plain sight. In fairness, my husband could have been the one to have passed on this particular phrase…..
6. “There’s nothing to eat in this house”
This one takes the biscuit! (Excuse the pun!) I think the teenagers could probably eat for months just on the food to found in their pantries, fridges, and freezers at all times! I assume that what they mean is that we Mothers haven’t stood cooking and baking their favourite meal, rather than teach them to stand on their own two feet, and make something for themselves…or of course they’re just looking for an excuse to order a take-away!
7. Blank stare
Anyone home? The eyes point towards you but the brain is clearly not involved in this particular manoeuvre. This is when you cleverly announce a new baby is on the way, we won the lottery, or some other majestic event. Wait 10 seconds and then proceed to ask your question again.
8. “Fine!”
Such a positive word and sensitive response – unless it involves eye-rolling, which of course it usually does. Was that “fine, yes” or “fine, no?” Even perhaps “fine, ok?”
9. “I’ll do it later”
I was always left wondering whether my Children meant later today, or later this week, or even later next month. When pushed the response is often “whenever” – a close relation to “whatever”!
10. Talking to you while using their mobile for texting etc.
This one is my absolute pet hate. I get really infuriated, and lose that sense of humour which kept me going through all that life threw at me. This is when the teenager answers you while their i-phone is in hand and in use, you get a response, but no real communication has taken place.It doesn’t matter what you say and do – the Teenager thinks that that there is nothing rude in texting to someone else, and looking at the screen rather than at you, at the same time as when you are talking to them.
Have you survived a teenager? What are your best tips?
I hope that you have found this blog informative and interesting.
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Norma Lewis
Norma Lewis Nannies