Survival guide
From a training manual for parents with teenagers, sporting the best title ever: Get out of my life, but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the mall?
Once adolescence begins, teenage boys go to their rooms, close the door, turn on the stereo, and come out four years later.
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Comment
- That certainly would be an improvement on the violent tantrums my five year old son is having at this point in his life. Provided he uses headphones with that stereo of course.
— Fritz P. Jul 25, 8:31pm # - Ha, ha, ha. Yeah, I used to think that too.
Though you do have my whole-hearted sympathy for the tantrum phase. It’s a nasty one.
— gail Jul 26, 7:37am # - Yep. And teenage girls come out to steal your makeup, rant and rave about the unfairness of life and slam some random doors in the house – once in a while. That’s when they’re not climbing out of their windows to sneakily meet their boyfriends…
— naomi Jul 26, 3:44pm # - Just went to Amazon to buy this gem. They had several used copies for 1¢! And they helpfully suggested other titles that might interest this buyer, the best of which was called, “I’m Not Mad, I Just Hate You!”
I’m not actually the mother of teens, just a voyer. I teach high school, and while I’m inundated with them ten months of the year, they go home at night and don’t ask to borrow my car. I’m the one they still talk to sometimes, and I always feel honored, as if I’ve infiltrated a secret society.
I’m really amazed at how much they change in their early 20s, like a horrible spell is lifted. Even the two worst ones I ever had came back in human form a few years later.
Not that it will make you feel any better, but even Shakespeare went through it: “I would there were no age between sixteen and three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting.”
Courage!
— wizmo Jul 26, 8:07pm # - It’s actually a very good book, funny and full of common sense (very refreshing) and, yes, I am lifted by the knowledge that this too is just a phase, and only occasionally truly agonizing.
It’s all about choosing your battles & being in charge.
Who knew?
— gail Jul 26, 10:03pm # - Daedalus.
— Daniel Aug 7, 7:09pm #
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