Family Stories That Prove Teenagers Need Even More Attention Than Babies

Many parents claim that it’s difficult only with infants, and when they grow up, it becomes easier. This is partly true: at least they become independent and parents have time for themselves. But as they grow up, other things come up, like teenage rebellion, for example. And parents have to get used to the idea that their offspring is no longer a child, but a separate, self-sufficient person.

I have 2 adult daughters, and I’m embarrassed to say this, but I love one of them more than the other. You can throw stones at me, but it’s impossible to love someone who constantly pushes you away.

My elder daughter was a long-awaited child, but since she was a baby she has never been affectionate, she is cruel and mean. We tried to be friends with her, tried to evoke empathy and tenderness in our daughter, but that’s just the way she is. At the age of 18, she literally ran away from us, went to study in another city.

She calls once in 3 months, comes once a year for the birthday of her grandmother, who she loves. But she apparently doesn’t love me and my husband. And I love her. But much less than the younger daughter, who is affectionate and kind. © Ward #6 / VK

I always wanted to learn to do pull-ups, but lacked motivation. Now I have a teenage daughter. It’s hard with her, but I love her very much and try to stay calm.

So when my patience runs out and our dialog becomes non-constructive, I do pull-ups (we installed a doorway bar for this purpose) and drink a glass of water. Steam comes out, and I am ready for dialogue again. Gradually reducing the load of expanders, I’ve learned to pull up without them. © Overheard / Ideer

My older sister limits her son’s computer time. Every evening, when he sits down at the computer, she controls the time and doesn’t allow him to sit longer than 11 p.m. Around 10:30, she starts reminding him that it’s time to go to bed.

And once, my parents and sister were invited to someone’s anniversary party, and I stayed with my nephew. We had dinner, and after that we both were busy with our own thing. Around 10:40 p.m. my nephew asked, “Why don’t you remind me it’s bedtime?” I said, “I’m not your mother, you’re 12, you’ll figure it out on your own.”

And he replied, “Oh, yeah? You don’t care about me, and you don’t care about my eyesight (apparently, my sister was pestering him that he was going to ruin his eyesight), I’m still a teenager!” With those words, he made his bed and went to sleep. What was that? © Spiteful1990 / Pikabu

I was in the subway and witnessed a conversation between a mother and her daughter, a teenage girl about 12–13 years old. Her mother said, “We need to buy you a phone for school, because you drowned yours in the camp. What phone do you want?” The girl replied, “I want a Samsung like Paul’s.”

Her mother objected, “Let’s buy you something more expensive, because at school all the girls have iPhones, and you’ll have this cheap phone.” And the girl replied, “Mom, why would I need an iPhone at school? Someone can steal it, or I’ll be constantly afraid that someone will steal it. Let’s better save this money for Grandma’s dental treatment.”

I couldn’t hear them anymore. But it felt like I was in a parallel universe. © Trapezium / Pikabu

I’d like to share a life hack for the couples with teenage children. We have 2 teenagers who always fight with each other. But we have a country house which is 15 minutes away from our house. And when these 2 start bugging me and my husband, we just leave for the country house. And the kids stay at home with a fridge full of food (it happens on weekends when they don’t need to go to school).

No, we’re not running away from them. We always invite them with us, but they won’t go because the Internet connection in the country house is very weak. And an evening without children helps me and my husband keep our sanity. We eat goodies that no one takes away and watch movies. And the kids do better without parental care than they do with us: they cook and clean, as long as they have the Internet. © #goodmotherhood / VK

I didn’t forbid anything to my sons when they were kids, their actions were their own responsibility. As a result, their rebellion period was very short, and at the age of 25, they became boring and rational family men.

On Sunday, I call one of them and say, “Let’s go swimming and have a barbeque party.” And he answers, “My wife and I plan to clean the house and go to the supermarket.” I ask the other son about where he’s going to spend his vacation, and he says that he’ll stay at home to install the flooring.

Oh, God!! Is it only me who can ride a bicycle at night at 52? © doovy / Pikabu

Recently, our teenage son brought a girl home. Blue hair, nose piercing, tattoo of a spider behind her ear. My husband became immediately nervous, but I welcomed the young people, baked a cake for them and gave them money for the movies and snacks.

After they left, my husband began to criticize our son’s choice. And I took out our old school album and showed him my own photos when I was their age. Green hair (I dyed it with brilliant green and shampoo), piercings in the nose, 6 earrings in each ear. But I grew up, changed the hair color, removed the piercing.

Now I work as a pediatrician, don’t have bad habits. When we are young, we look for our place in this world, we rebel and make mistakes. I will never allow a person to be stigmatized just because they have blue hair, for example. © Full Story / VK