miss the "little kids, little problems" years

[Anonymous]

Amen, y'all.

Please, kid. Just make it through.

[Anonymous]

We had a 4 month period in 5th grade of several times a week of terrifying rage from my DD. I think her little brother has PTSD from it. No amount of punishment or compassion could reach her during these times and she actually damaged things.

Now she is 6th grade and we have not had a single episode of this in almost a year. It is so weird. I am happy because I thought the teen difficulties were starting, but now it seems we have a reprieve.

[Anonymous]

Yes! Me too. I can let attitudes slide to an extent, but I've warned my kids that I will come down on them like a fucking axe if they get into alcohol or drugs. Fingers crossed...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know. You just get stinky armpits and angry faces and 'f*ck you, mom' -seriously? and I hate you and can you drop me off a block before we get there because I can't be seen with you and 'YES I'M WEARING THIS' and slammed doors. ~sob~

Yeah, aside from the occasional stink, the rest shouldn't be the norm.

…said the mother of toddlers.

NP here, I have a 15 and 9 year old and the only thing you quoted that I don't think is the norm is the 'f*ck you, mom'. I mean, if it's meant as the kid saying it in their head, then yeah, but surely not out loud. My kids also don't say I hate you out load, but I'm sure they think it. My youngest will say "this is the worst family ever".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes! Me too. I can let attitudes slide to an extent, but I've warned my kids that I will come down on them like a fucking axe if they get into alcohol or drugs. Fingers crossed...

Come back when they're in college and let us know how that worked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes! Me too. I can let attitudes slide to an extent, but I've warned my kids that I will come down on them like a fucking axe if they get into alcohol or drugs. Fingers crossed...

not sure what a fucking axe is, as opposed to the wood chopping kind, but I hear ya.

[Anonymous]

OP here --

Thank you thank you thank you all for the commiseration.

It was wonderful to log back on and see your comments...

(They do smell, teenagers....)

[Anonymous]

This is sad. Am I the only one who is truly enjoying her tween/teens?

toddler days were nonstop 24/7.

[Anonymous]

Mother of a 19 year old here. I will take a salty teen over a crying baby any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is sad. Am I the only one who is truly enjoying her tween/teens?

toddler days were nonstop 24/7.

I enjoy(ed) my teenagers. But I don't deny that handing them the keys and having them drive around gave me gray hair. No, it wasn't the same as letting go of the 2-wheel bike for the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is sad. Am I the only one who is truly enjoying her tween/teens?

toddler days were nonstop 24/7.

I enjoy(ed) my teenagers. But I don't deny that handing them the keys and having them drive around gave me gray hair. No, it wasn't the same as letting go of the 2-wheel bike for the first time.

I am truly glad for you that your children seem to be having reasonably happy teen years. Some do, and I don't want to take away from that in the slightest. We are not so lucky, and though I can tell you that my son is still a joy to me, and I like many things about the man he is becoming, this period is not at all easy.

[Anonymous]

I think it is relevant that the people who are saying it was "fine" are reflecting on it from the past. And the ones who are saying what they will or will not unequivocally tolerate don't even have teens yet. The ones who are in the thick of it--11-17 are the parents that are wailing about the horror--because it is BRUTAL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is relevant that the people who are saying it was "fine" are reflecting on it from the past. And the ones who are saying what they will or will not unequivocally tolerate don't even have teens yet. The ones who are in the thick of it--11-17 are the parents that are wailing about the horror--because it is BRUTAL.

+1 but it is good to know that we will evidently look back on these years and say "It was not so bad."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, sometimes I just remind myself that they didn't got into a drugs, or rape, or sex abuse. They didn't steal anything. The rest is not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the thick of it and loving it, but then I really could not deal with the infant years. My youngest is 16 & my older ones are in college. I have had to deal with some snappiness and stink, but nothing terrible. But I really was a mess from ages 0-2!