How does anyone ever survive having one?   Help!

Jeannie

Oh, they're not so bad.  

I had a Chesapeake Bay Retriever one time, and a more stubborn creature never walked the earth.   ;)

Maybe my experience with the Chessie was karmic preparation for living with a teen.  I dunno.

Best,

George

You know, he really is a wonderful kid.  I found a pack of cigarettes in his back pack yesterday.  This is a kid who uses an inhaler every day for his asthma!  I just want to choke him!  I quit smoking so I know how hard it is and I just don't want it for him.  

Jeannie

Edit to add: Ever since I found them I want one sooooooo bad!

Ahhh the joys of parenting a teenager!!  I went through that last year with my daughter, Katie.   Gave her the lecture and asked her if she wanted me to be the mom that went through all her personal belongings everyday......then I did.  I made her account for every penny I gave her with a reciept, so she couldn't spend any money on cigarettes. She didn't want me to tell anyone, so I told everyone, including her grandmothers.  She finally figured out she wasn't going to get away with it and decided she would go back to being a non-smoker.  

Good luck Jeannie, I really do feel your pain!

Hugs,
Beth

Jean, no words of wisdom at the moment, but a huge HUG to you!!!

love,
mel

Teenagers?  wha wha whatz the problem <blink; shudder> with with with with them?

I raised FOUR of th th the the the them, and no no no no no af-f-f-f-f-f-fter effects whatsoever <shake; drool> ... Yup, almost 20 years of steady <shiver; bob head> teens and I I I I I I am f-f-f-f-fine.

I raised 7 of them so I'm even crazier than Chuck.


 Their brains DO come back to them.  At about the age of 30.

Jeannie, we do not have any kids ourselves, but Angie and I were teenagers once and we out grew that "phase of our lives"



about five years ago! [smiley=crackup.gif]

Sorry, not much help but sending some support your way.
Good Luck!! :)

Linda_Howell wrote on Sep 16^th, 2008 at 5:43pm:

I raised 7 of them so I'm even crazier than Chuck.

7??????????  And you LIVED???????????
[smiley=bow.gif]

Mine are now 19 and ACK! 21 in a couple of weeks.

My advise: hang on for the ride of a life, expect everything, be surprised at nothing, and count your blessings for all that they learned. They'll surprise you at every moment.  Relish the joys .. that keeps you from actually killing them when you want to ;)

Hang in there!

Hugs,
Jen

I spent a lot of times on my knees praying for guidance...it was either that or kill the girl.

Hang in there, it does get better.

Langa

Melissa wrote on Sep 16^th, 2008 at 3:21pm:

Jean, no words of wisdom at the moment, but a huge HUG to you!!! love, mel

Sorry no words of wisdom here either cos I used to be one & I think my kids still believe I am one.
Ah! a young heart with a decrepid body & a head that goes BLING :D

It’s commonly believed that insanity is hereditary; you get it from your kids.

No experience here but the older I get, the closer I come to the stunning level of stupidity I displayed in them there dayz.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Sep 18^th, 2008 at 12:22am:

No experience here but the older I get, the closer I come to the stunning level of stupidity I displayed in them there dayz. Charlie

:D ;D

Charlie wrote on Sep 18^th, 2008 at 12:22am:

No experience here but the older I get, the closer I come to the stunning level of stupidity I displayed in them there dayz. Charlie

:D ;D

barry_sword wrote on Sep 16^th, 2008 at 6:01pm:

Jeannie, we do not have any kids ourselves, but Angie and I were teenagers once and we out grew that "phase of our lives" about five years ago! [smiley=crackup.gif]

I'm sorry ... did I miss something.  This is the same Barry that rides bikes through mud puddles and calls it fun ... Something tells me he still hasn't grown up yet  ::)

;D

-Dennis-

DennisM1045 wrote on Sep 18^th, 2008 at 12:48pm:

barry_sword wrote on Sep 16th, 2008 at 6:01pm: Jeannie, we do not have any kids ourselves, but Angie and I were teenagers once and we out grew that "phase of our lives" about five years ago! [smiley=crackup.gif] I'm sorry ... did I miss something.  This is the same Barry that rides bikes through mud puddles and calls it fun ... Something tells me he still hasn't grown up yet  ::) ;D -Dennis-

[smiley=crackup.gif] [smiley=crackup.gif] [smiley=crackup.gif]

LMAO Dennis, but how true ;) ;D

My motto is "Trust but verify".  My kids know that eventually they're gonna get caught doing whatever it is that they're into.  It's a risk reward judgement they have to make.

Unfortunately it doesn't stop them from doing whatever they want ... at least once.

I've had a couple of smokers.  Only one that never quit.  He's 24 now so there is still time.  The other guy quit after the newness wore off and he found the cost too high.

I've also had some bigger problems to deal with.  Some I'm dealing with now...  

Things like smoking aren't things I want to see them doing.  I'm certainly not going to pay for it.  But I put it in the category of hair color and clothing choices.  You have to believe you've given them some measure of sense.  It is up to them to use it or not.

So, trust but verify and be consistent in your words and actions.  Sometimes you just have to take the long view to keep your sanity.  And remember ... they will love you again when they need college money.

-Dennis-

DennisM1045 wrote on Sep 18^th, 2008 at 12:56pm:

And remember ... they will love you again when they need college money.

Or when they need a free babysitter. ;)

I can tell he feels really bad about smoking.  Well, getting caught anyway!

Yesterday I was bringing up a load of sheets and towels from the basement to fold.  Out of the blue he says,"Thanks for doing the laundry, Mom."    He's like that much of the time.  It's so hard for me to let him make choices that can hurt him in the long run. He'll be 16 in Jan.  After that, I have two more years till he'll be out on his own.  He is set on being a Marine.  I know that I'll be so proud but scared to death at the same time!  I'm just not ready to let him go yet!  Sometimes I just wish life had a "pause" button.

Luv,

Jeannie