Where has my 12yo son's brain gone???

[Magpie]

Do any of you have teenage boys (or had them, or know any)?

My 12yo son is a big lad. He'll be thirteen in another 2 months. He's taller than I am, and his voice breaks whenever he gets excited. He's got fuzz on his upper lip. Yesterday evening I asked him to drop a letter in the mailbox for me.

"Where's the mailbox?" he asked.

I thought that was an odd question, considering this isn't the first time I've asked him to mail a letter. Still, since he appeared to have forgotten where the box is, I gave him precise directions. I repeated them several times. The box is three blocks away, easy as pie!

Twenty minutes later, dinner's off the stove and my son isn't back. I'm worried, so I get the dog and go out looking for him. When I find him, I discover that he'd walked right past the mailbox and all the way down to the river before realizing he'd missed it. Then he asked a stranger where to find the box and was directed back the way he came.

"Oh," he adds casually, "And some guy asked me where to find pot."

I can only presume this fellow assumed a lad as spaced out as my son must surely know where to find the drugs. "What did you tell him?"

My son shrugs elaborately. "Meh."

So I'm thinking, okay... sending the boy out to do errands when he was ten was fine, but now? Maybe not so much. His brain seems addled.

Then later in the evening, I tell him to practice his saxophone. He protests that he doesn't have to, because he had music class that day.

I point to his saxophone, which has been sitting by the front door all day. "Weren't you supposed to bring your sax to music class?"

"I did."

"No, it's been sitting there all day. What did you do in music class, if you didn't have a sax?"

"I don't know! I thought I did have my sax!"

"But you had music class today!"

"Yes, but I don't remember what happened!"

I make him go practice his sax.

I swear, his head's getting fuzzier than his upper lip!

Please tell me it's going to get better - not worse!

 

[Geoff_M]

That's pretty much par for the course... Don't worry, the brains usually return from their long retreat when they reach about the age of 25!

 

[Robinrs]

Sounds like a scene from Two and a Half Men!

Pretty darned typical.

I totally disagree with 25, they just get a bit more focused on some other things. I say 49, then they go thru the midlife crisis.

Beats the alternative is what I say!

 

[McKelly]

I don't have any advice for you, but just wanted you to know two things. One - thanks for the laugh, that was too funny! and Two - since I have an eleven year old and a nine year old, thanks for the warning!! LOL!!

 

[horseshowmom]

Kind of reminds me of the old Cranium Command attraction they used to have at Epcot about a boy that age. I always loved that. We got to see it again a few years ago when they opened it temporarily for Christmas.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Sounds like his brain is under the influence of teenaged hormones! They seriously mess with the memory and common sense centers of the brain! My 15 year old is still going through it. My younger son just turned 12 a few weeks ago so he hasn't encountered it yet!

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I hear ya! My DS is 14. Yesterday afternoon he had a Dr. appointment to get his Hep A and Meningitis boosters. We were talking about it in the car on the way to the Dr's office - a 10 minute drive from home. He understands that he's scheduled to get 2 shots. He says he hopes that they just put both in the same arm. Why, he'll even request that if given the option, says he!

We get to said Dr's office and wait maybe 5-10 minutes in the waiting room. I get a strange look from the nurse when I get up and walk behind DS on into the exam room. DS is sitting on the table, I on a chair, when the nurse asks DS why he's there.

blank stare.

crickets chirp.

Me - "Darling son of mine - the nurse asked why you're here."

DS - "Um, I don't know."



I hope, for his sake, that his brain does return some day.

Best part - the Dr comes in and gives him a short physical (the same physical she gave him in March when he got the first of the two Hep A boosters along with his tetanus and varicella boosters). She asks if he smokes, drinks, uses drugs, has a girlfriend..... DS just smirks (he has a gf but thinks I don't know this ). Dr then tells me that I can let him come back to the exam room by himself. Yeah, I tried that in March. Again, he knew at that time that he was getting boosters. The appt was made so that he would get his boosters (had no idea he'd need a second wave of boosters 6 months later) so that tidbit should have been in his file. He and I talked about getting the shots on the way to that appt too. I waited in the waiting room while he followed the nurse by himself. Less than 5 minutes later, the nurse came out to the waiting room for me because DS had no. idea. why he was there. And then he tries to complain that I "baby" him.

 

[ckay87]

I have 2 teenage boys myself and I know exactly where their brains "have gone." I'm just not going to say so right now, right here.

Is it possible that he is in luuuuuvv?

 

[Magpie]

I hear ya! My DS is 14. Yesterday afternoon he had a Dr. appointment to get his Hep A and Meningitis boosters. We were talking about it in the car on the way to the Dr's office - a 10 minute drive from home. He understands that he's scheduled to get 2 shots. He says he hopes that they just put both in the same arm. Why, he'll even request that if given the option, says he!

We get to said Dr's office and wait maybe 5-10 minutes in the waiting room. I get a strange look from the nurse when I get up and walk behind DS on into the exam room. DS is sitting on the table, I on a chair, when the nurse asks DS why he's there.

blank stare.

crickets chirp.

Me - "Darling son of mine - the nurse asked why you're here."

DS - "Um, I don't know."



I hope, for his sake, that his brain does return some day.

Best part - the Dr comes in and gives him a short physical (the same physical she gave him in March when he got the first of the two Hep A boosters along with his tetanus and varicella boosters). She asks if he smokes, drinks, uses drugs, has a girlfriend..... DS just smirks (he has a gf but thinks I don't know this ). Dr then tells me that I can let him come back to the exam room by himself. Yeah, I tried that in March. Again, he knew at that time that he was getting boosters. The appt was made so that he would get his boosters (had no idea he'd need a second wave of boosters 6 months later) so that tidbit should have been in his file. He and I talked about getting the shots on the way to that appt too. I waited in the waiting room while he followed the nurse by himself. Less than 5 minutes later, the nurse came out to the waiting room for me because DS had no. idea. why he was there. And then he tries to complain that I "baby" him.

Oh, that's too funny! Have you considered pinning a note to the front of his shirt before you send him in? I've been threatening to do that to my son.

I've been getting very familiar with the sound of crickets lately...

 

[Magpie]

I have 2 teenage boys myself and I know exactly where their brains "have gone." I'm just not going to say so right now, right here.

Is it possible that he is in luuuuuvv?

Oh lordy, I hope not!

But I can't imagine how I'd ever know. It's not like he ever tells me anything any more. "How was your day, son?" "Grunt."

Come to think of it... he's recently started closing his bedroom door at night...

Just to be safe, I went ahead and signed him up for our church's sex ed program. And a friend of mine is using the fact that my son is going to strong arm her son into going as well.

 

[MoniqueU]

My 17 year old son is showing signs of pulling out of this. But he still has his moments. Over the summer I sent him to the store and he was so spaced out texting he left his wallet in the cart.

Last night I was repeating what I was telling him about college apps earlier in the day and he told me I already said that and don't treat him like he is stupid. Well this comes from years of having to repeat stuff over and over LOL.

 

[czycropper]

Thank you ladies!!! I have two DD one is 12 (will be 13 in January) and it makes me feel so much better that it's not just girls that this happens.

Last week - my DD12 is all bent out of shape that she has to bring a specific marker for art class, so we (yep, dummy us) go out and get it that night, fast foward to last night I find the same marker on her floor and ask her "We rushed out and got this because you needed it immediately and here it is still in the wrap"

Huh...... was the answer!!!!

Oh, another one - she comes home last night from dance. She says she needs a pair of pumps for one of the dances can she borrow one of mine. So, I said sure....I give her my 2 1/2 inch Bandilino black pumps....she says "these aren't pumps", I say "what?!" She says "Pumps have higher skinny heels" I say "Who made the expert on pumps and I've been wearing pumps for more years than you're alive" GIRLS

 

[mommasita]

I have one DS14, and I was happy to read this.

 

[Tink9721]

I'm a 17 year old girl and I have some stories about myself.

When I was about 13, there was a lamp that kept flickering and I thought the bulb was loose. I turned it off and immediately touched the bulb. OUCH! My cousin almost died laughing and said "I'm impressed that you actually turned off the light first!"

I've had quite a few "airhead" moments since I turned 12

I actually just had a small one on Sunday night. I was in bed, it was a little after midnight. I had just finished a paper for one of my classes. Then I remembered that I was supposed to email another one of my teachers a thesis statement for an essay by Monday morning So I shot out of bed, turned on the computer, made up a thesis off the top of my head, and sent the email. And then I looked at the assignment sheet. "Please email me your thesis by the end of the day on Monday"

 

[ENSOCK]

My DH and I have finally figured out if DS16 has a gf. He gets spaced out and snippy. I tell him all of the time to come back to earth and off of planet Seth.

 

[X and G's mom]

Bill Cosby hits the nail on the head in Bill Cosby, Himself. He says these people are brain damaged!

My DS13 cannot remember to brush his teeth, put deoderant on, grab his lunch, or remember homework until I have to sign it yesterday. THIS from a boy who remembers all the plays in Football, AND, he also knows every football player in the NFL, what team they play for, and where they went to college!

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Bill Cosby hits the nail on the head in Bill Cosby, Himself. He says these people are brain damaged!

My DS13 cannot remember to brush his teeth, put deoderant on, grab his lunch, or remember homework until I have to sign it yesterday. THIS from a boy who remembers all the plays in Football, AND, he also knows every football player in the NFL, what team they play for, and where they went to college!

OMG - I love, love, love that show!

The reverse mohawk!

The wife talking to the ceiling... "don't you dare. tell. me..."

"I brought you into this world, I can take you out!"

Describing his wife's face as she has a conniption.

Pure genius and timeless in it's absolute truth.

 

[ilovejack02]

My DSS21 was about 19 when he came out of what I call "head up butt syndrome" .

His years between 13 and 19 totally baffled us. So funny OP you mention issue with directions. We bought our DS a car at 16, when told to run over to his grandparents house about 20 mins away we had to give him detailed directions and he still would call and ask where to go , he got lost several times the first year. REALLY ??!!, he had been going to their house since he was 4 years old . It was the craziest thing, I swear he couldn't find his way out of a paper bag for years.

Thank goodness that is over with , now lets see if we can get him to finish up college.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am living this thread
DS11 had a similar thing Monday. It was the first day of school here and he was told to pack up his backpack on Sunday evening, which he did. We had the typical conversation :
Me: Do you have everything?
Him: Yes
Me: Everything? You're sure?
Him: (rolls eyes and sounds exasperated) YES--everything.

We really were not sure what time the kids would be out of school (normal here--lots of shorter days, sick teachers are normally not replaced with a sub and they just send the kids home early if it is the last teacher of the day, etc) so I told them both i would pick them up at the train station if they called me on the way home (it saves them a 20 minute walk).
DD13 got off early and called and i picked her up at the station. DS stayed all day and walked home from the station. I asked if he had forgotten to charge his phone. Nope. He forgot the phone all together--AND his train pass (luckily they did not check for tickets). Also his pencil case.
Me: What DID you pack?
Him: a snack.
It is going to be a loooooong 6 years until that kid graduates

Kind of reminds me of the old Cranium Command attraction they used to have at Epcot about a boy that age. I always loved that. We got to see it again a few years ago when they opened it temporarily for Christmas.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My first thought was - Thank you so much for the laugh!!

My second was - Is he daydreaming about a girl?

DS is only 9, so hopefully I have a couple more years to get him organized before he loops back out on me.