Calling parents of teenagers

[wilma-bride]

Is it just me or do all teens have absolutely zero respect for their own property or anyone else's for that matter

In the last few months, my teenage daughters have collectively managed to lose 2 umbrellas, a lunch box, completely wreck two school bags, spill both lip glodd and bleach on the bathroom carpet, get biro on my cream leather sofa and now have managed to destroy a perfectly good (and very expensive) towel rail

I have tried varying punishments from stopping pocket money to laptop bans and nothing seems to work.

Help! I am completely beside myself. I have never had so much as an apology from either of them. Whenver they wreck or lose anything, all I get is a load of back chat about how it's not their fault, I always blame them etc.

I am at the end of my tether

 

[Goofyish]

Welcome to the strange world of teenagers!

I'm just hoping they eventually grow out of it

 

[natalielongstaff]

have you tried making them pay for a replacement.....especially their stuff like school bags, it might make them respect it a bit more

but hey ive a 9yr old who gets a dentention so what do i know !!

 

[mandymouse]

Welcome to the strange world of teenagers!

I'm just hoping they eventually grow out of it

Well said Tim. You know what teenagers are like, they believe that the whole world revolves around them, and that mum's have been put here to moan at them and make them wash up

To be fair, my two are pretty good, and I do feel that I can go on at them over something quite trivial - but they just think 'here she goes again'

 

[scottishsue]

I agree with Tim too. My youngest boy is 17, and is exactly the same.

When I was a teenager (in the old days) children were seen and not heard, but I think those days are long gone. Don't get me wrong, my son isn't bad - he's just lazy.

They drive us nuts, but we love them to bits !!

 

[KayleeUK]

Aww Joh no advice for you but a big

 

[Jakey Rowling]

My kids are just perfect.

They always tidy up after themselves.
Considerate to others at all times.
Never feel as though they are getting picked on.
Are happy that they have a better life and more freedom than their friends.
Never give backchat.
Are happy with their pocket money.
Never say whats the problem it'll get sorted, chill out.



p.s. not all of the above is necessarily true.

 

[Goofysmate]

Big hug for you Jo it does get a little better as they pass through the teen stage but must admit it hard to notice at times.
If you think that it's bad now wait till they are in full swing with the boyfriends that are not what you hoped for them .
So tell your girls to pack it in and be good for mum or santa won't visit

 

[wilma-bride]

Thanks guys, it's nice to know I'm not alone. I think what I find most frustrating is the fact that they don't seem to care about anything or anyone at times.

We are just about to spend in the region of £40K on a loft conversion so they can have their own rooms and I am concerned that our nice new rooms will be wrecked in the space of 5 minutes

I have told them both that they are not getting nice furniture or decorations for their rooms if they can't learn to take better care of their things but I am pretty sure it's going in one ear and out the other

 

[kkymmy]

well prove it to them, put beds and wardrobes in etc, but don't spend a fortune (or use their current ones if you can). If they manage not to wreck stuff or have a bit more respect for other people and their belongings then it will earn them a piece of new furniture. Any further lack of respect and the new furniture gets taken away....

most teenagers i know wouldn't turn down a brand new bedroom full of great things even if it did mean they had to be a bit more considerate towards it (and the rest of the house they are lucky to be living in!)

 

[carolfoy]

Cripes! is it going to get worse? my 12 year old is exactly the same, always leaving stuff behind at school (needless to say its never there the next day) his friends leave stuff at mine whenever they come over too, no matter how many times I ask 'have you got all your stuff?' before I take them home I always end up driving round the darn countryside delivering PS2 games / jackets / wallets etc

 

[Goofysmate]

Cripes! is it going to get worse? my 12 year old is exactly the same, always leaving stuff behind at school (needless to say its never there the next day) his friends leave stuff at mine whenever they come over too, no matter how many times I ask 'have you got all your stuff?' before I take them home I always end up driving round the darn countryside delivering PS2 games / jackets / wallets etc

I thought thats what mums are there for
My DS is 24 & left home & i still clean up after him when he pops in.
So i'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news Carol but with boys it never end

 

[kkymmy]

im afraid my mum always ends up tidying behind me and my best friends when we go back to mine, so it's no better with girls!!

 

[carolfoy]

So i'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news Carol but with boys it never end

bloomin will Jill, he'll be out on his ear if it doesn't

 

[Lisash]

Wish I could offer you an answer Joh but sadly I think all kids of that age are the same. The only consolation I can offer is that if my DD is anything to go by they do get better as they get older. Over the years I have spent hundreds of pounds on stuff which has been lost, broken stolen or loaned out. On many of our early trips to the USA we would have barely unpacked our bags before DD's friends were 'borrowing' all the nice designer gear we had bought her many items of which never got returned and DD didn't seem bothered. She is much more careful now it's her own money that buys a lot of this stuff