Teenage Boys

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doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Teenage Boys

Post by doodles »

Advice please. DS1 (13) has gone from being gorgeous in all ways to, well to be honest, moody and overly dramatic in the blink of an eye. I know you are all going to say this is completely normal but how do you deal with it? :? :?

I don't want to fall out with him but being blinkered to those around you is frankly winding me up to the point of explosion.

Tips please.
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by Looking for help »

It can be very difficult. My oldest is now 21 and when he went through all this, ( I think he was quite late, we hit the really bad times when he was doing his GCSEs, so 15 ish), I don't think I dealt with it particularly well. I fell out with him frequently. They go from happy outgoing kids into fairly withdrawn and silent, grunting only when spoken to and it can be quite infuriating. The only thing that let him off the hook slightly was the fact that his two sisters at 14 and 12 were doing the girl version at the same time (That was equally horrible).

They've all come out the other end, and so have we though, so thats a bonus :lol:

Now my youngest who has just turned 14 is the same, but we are kind of laughing it off now, and letting him be. If he wants to go and sit in his bedroom, we let him, then usually after a while he gets bored and comes down for some chat.

It's a learning curve though, and they are all different.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by sherry_d »

Be very glad Doodles, at least boys start at 13, girls start much earlier :lol:
Impossible is Nothing.
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by Chelmsford mum »

sherry_d wrote:Be very glad Doodles, at least boys start at 13, girls start much earlier :lol:
Yes but they come out of it earlier .My older two now 14 and 16 are actually reasonable and good company.They have been so for a while although utterly unpredictable a few years back.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by hermanmunster »

I'm getting worried - am still waiting for "teenage syndrome" to appear - maybe will happen when he starts uni in Autumn?

We do run a rather "whatever" household - Is it possible teenage syndrome won't happen at all?? :shock:
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by Guest55 »

Ditto here hermanmunster - perhaps having been a teacher for so long I have learnt good coping strategies?
ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Doodles, it's exactly the same in our household, a complete nightmare. DS, 13, goes from being absolutely fantastic company to a monosyllabic, contrary refusnik in nanoseconds. :( I bought a book on understanding teenagers which helped a bit and we do pick our battles and try to let as much as we can go over us, but I think it's the complete unpredictability that catches me out and the fact that moments after a major strop he can be back to his normal, delightful self.
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by Looking for help »

I hope it doesn't start when the go to uni....that would be scary :shock:

Far more for them to get up to in a rebellious fashion there, I'd have thought :shock:

Having learned from my older son....I have taken a much more hands off approach second time round with my younger son, and we seem to be getting along ok. No nagging unless absolutely essential, mind you he is a much more organised and sensible chap than his brother, doesn't forget things, doesn't need so much of the nagging to get on with things, which is good. Maybe because we're a bit older now, we are less stressed, I don't need to drive hundreds of miles a week, going to football and dancing and piano, and having to be on time for pick ups, everything is a lot more relaxed :D
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by hermanmunster »

Looking for help wrote:
Having learned from my older son....I have taken a much more hands off approach second time round with my younger son, and we seem to be getting along ok. No nagging unless absolutely essential, mind you he is a much more organised and sensible chap than his brother, doesn't forget things, doesn't need so much of the nagging to get on with things, which is good. Maybe because we're a bit older now, we are less stressed, I don't need to drive hundreds of miles a week, going to football and dancing and piano, and having to be on time for pick ups, everything is a lot more relaxed :D
Think you are right LFH - much easier to cope with any behaviour if you are hands off and laid back. School is within walking distance so transport not to much of a problem.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Teenage Boys

Post by doodles »

Thanks everyone. We do pick our battles and as parents are quite undemanding, they have to do a few chores (bins, dishwasher and their rooms) but not too onerous. I think it is the complete "I am the only person in the universe" attitude that I am finding hard as we have, until now, all mucked in together.
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