do your older teens/college kids drive you nuts

[Tiggeroo]

I am living in a house with 2 sons who will be 17 in a week and a 20yo dd who is home from college for the summer. They are driving me #@$%$^^ crazy. The boys of course are feeling their oats and hate the idea of any rules. The dd is alternately crabby or up my butt if she's bored. All of them are slobs. I can't believe I am yelling at my 20yo to clean her room. But it's truly bad and I am fighting sand fleas so I don't want any piles of stuff on the floor right now. For these three kids who are young adults I had to make a kiddy style chore chart because I was the only one cleaning anything. I then have to remind everyone to do the stuff and punish them for not doing it. It seems so childish but I don't konw what else to do. My 20yo dd is griping at me because our house is hot and we have no ac. I live on the beach. It is usually cool here but it's an unusually humid summer. If she walked up to the beach she would be cooler.
I give my kids alot of freedom but I am ending up taking it away because they're all being so unresponsible around the house.
Oh, and have i mentioned they know everything. They feel the need to comment on things I do and let me know how they think I'm wrong. They have the nerve to tell me I"m cranky. I can't believe i was looking forward to summer so I could spend a bunch of time with my kids. What was I thinking.
PS - these are good kids. they are just driving me nuts and I needed to vent. How bout your teens?

 

[jimmiej]

When did you meet my kids (18 & 21)?

 

[grinningghost]

Mine is 15 - you mean it's going to get WORSE????

 

[Disney Doll]

I ahve a 22 year old nephew who is like that. A good kid, never been in trouble, does well in scholl, has been working hard all summer at a vet's office (he is in vet school).

But, I find myself saying to him "I've been 22, you've never been 42!"

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My kids always drive me nuts and I drive my parents nuts and they drive dh & I nuts.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Keli]

Your post made me LOL because I thought I was the only one with a college age kid that doesn't do work around the house and keeps their room looking like a pig sty. I'm glad to know I've got company.

In my case Ashli is happy go lucky kid so she isn't usually crabby but she drives me crazy at times. I guess this is good though, if it was perfect having her at home I'd never want to let her leave.

 

[Tiggeroo]

if it was perfect having her at home I'd never want to let her leave.

I guess you are right. My kids are good, all work full time during the summer, one of them is taking a summer class. I"m just feeling dumped on lately. Plus I'm living with three kids who know it all. And my dd's thing lately is commenting on my life, sort of in a parental way. I just look at her and say, excuse me, how old are you. And we're not taking a vacation this summer as dh was out of work a bunch this winter. Aargh. Glad to hear I'm not alone. It's just a tough age for all of them at the same time.

 

[Michie]

Let's just say I will be glad when college starts back up Mine does work 6 days a week, thankgoodness. But talk about CRANKY!! And he does respect his curfew, but talk about CRANKY!

 

[Kitty 34]

All I'm going to say to the original question is YES!!!!!

 

[Tiggeroo]

oh and my dd has decided she likes to cook. She makes weird stuff and alot of fish that smells. And no matter how hard she tries the kitchen is never really cleaned back up.

 

[Michie]

Mine was setting off the smoke alarm, very late at night, by "cooking" bacon and eggs. Finally told him after a certain time that there is no "cooking" He also leaves the dryer running while nobody is home, which is a real pet peeve of mine.Alot of home fires are started by dryers, so there is a reason why I ask him not to do this. I keep a running grocery list on the fridge, tell him when I am going, so he just writes down FOOD. Which really clarifies it for me

 

[Tiggeroo]

I'm thinking the reason that dd is driving me the most crazy is two women in the home. She's trying to run things in a sense. But she's not really ready. The new thing with the boys is to be home at curfew time. But they have friends come with them who are waiting on a ride. Then they all go back out and hang around my block. Also I don't like to go to sleep til everybody is in. And with the later times this isn't working so well. And there is war between the dd and her brothers because they eat everything in site and there is often nothing left for her.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

When my kids were younger (DD 18 going to college in fall, DS 20 in his 3rd year and DD 22 just graduated college) and I heard people say "my kids are home from college and I can't wait for them to go back" I would think to myself, how horrible, I will never feel like that. HA HA - sometimes you just have to eat your words. I love them and sometimes we have lots of fun/laughs - but I can't wait for September!!

 

[jipsy]

My BF's son has been with us all summer. He leaves next Saturday to return to college.

I will miss him. Messy room and all.

 

[RNMOM]

At least yours were "able" to find jobs. Mine sit around and try to get me to pay for everything for them.

 

[OhMari]

I have 2 in college and 2 in h.s.

I think the college kids come home and think they live in a hotel. All their needs should be done.

I found myself the month of May, cleaning up after them, doing their laundry, cooking, washing dishes. Finally I realized I am going nuts.

Would you believe they left their dirty laundry in their hampers for a month. One brought it down to the laundry room and it sat for another 2 weeks. After that he put a whole load stuffed to the gills in the wash machine and left. It sat for 2 days, then he put it in the dryer. Guess what I finally got sick of laundry smelling upstairs I did it again in July. I have talked to them numerous times, I swear it goes in one ear and out the other.

My dd finally did hers and she cleaned the whole house last week for the first time and it will probably never happen again.

I just decided they can either clean their clothes now or they can take it to school dirty, cause they have free laundry at school and their free maid service just ended.

We love them but my husband said too, "He can't wait for the grocery bill to get under $200 again, he helps me shop.

The oldest son told me he loves me and will never put me in a nursing home. Ya right!

I told them both to go back as early as possible.

 

[luvflorida]

And I thought I was the only one doing maid service this summer! We have a DS23 who lives at home, and a DD20 who is home from college for the summer, and a DD13, soon to be 14. And to top it all off, my DD's BF21, is spending the summer here in our basement.

I feel like I'm the only one around here who PICKS UP ANYTHING or CLEANS UP ANYTHING! My husband and I are counting the days until everyone goes back where they came from! Back to college, back to their own places, anywhere!

Yes, I love my children dearly, and they can be lots of fun and we can have a good time, BUT...this maid is ready for a vacation, and I'm ready to do things my own way without hearing criticism. My youngest daughter had the nerve to tell me that I wear my pants up way too high! And, oh yeah, I need a total make-over.

 

[Tiggeroo]

BUT...this maid is ready for a vacation, and I'm ready to do things my own way without hearing criticism. My youngest daughter had the nerve to tell me that I wear my pants up way too high! And, oh yeah, I need a total make-over.

Oh Man, that is so the truth. I am so sick of cleaning up. And my hs sons favorite expression seems to be it's my summer vacation. Why are you always trying to get me to do stuff. I just realized that there is only one month left of summer and I'm not enjoying mine at all. It seems that all I do is clean. And if I clean the house in the morning and then go to work, when I come home it will be messy.
My sons say I wear my pants up too high. My dd called me cranky ( wonder why). Most of the time if I make dinner nobody is here for it. But if I don't make it and they wanted something they all have something to say. Sometimes I just don't have time to go to the food store and so we are out of the quick and easy things. So none of these young adults pull something from the freezer and cook it. And I'm looking at the post about motivating your hs grad and thinking, great in another year 2 more graduate.

 

[4greatboys]

Well Im getting a mini vacation from my 2 oldest. They spend July with their dad. Actually my 14 yr old can be helpful--when asked . However my 16 yr old (17 in Sept) acts like you have asked him to remove a body part when you want himto help out. He has certain things he must do every week--the must be dont by Sunday. Well I'll be a monkey's uncle if he doesnt wait til Sunday at 11:45 pm to do his chores.
On top of that he is in a band and I have to drive him to practice--usually with no notice at all. His huge amp will only fit in the back of my suburban.
Well my peace and quite is over tomorrow when they come back home. I missed them but I didnt miss the messes or the attitudes.

I still have a 2 yr old and a 4 yr old to go through this. I hope I train these 2 a bit better, lol.-

 

[sharbear]

Oh boy, I know how everybody feels. My 16yo DS doesn't want to learn how to drive. Why drive when your mother can take you anywhere! I have to drive him back and forth to work.

I even do the laundry, all they have to do is put the clothes down the laundry chute. No one can do that and then I'll have a pile to do!

I am getting revenge though! As part of his condiition of living with a sane mother, he had to study for the SAT's this summer. When I complain that he's not doing anything but playing video games and hanging out with his friends, my DH bans him from the basement until he does more out of the SAT book.

My DD, 14 doesn't have a job, so she thinks that she can sleep till noon, watch tv until 4 and then go see what her friends are doing.

I know that I am going to hate when school starts, I feel like such a nag then too. Do your homework, what do you have to do, blah, blah, blah!