Monday 6 June 2011

mum stuff | I have a teenager under my roof

The last three weeks have been pretty tough in our house. There's a teenager living under our roof, upsetting all our routines, always having the last word, telling the smaller kids off, and arguing about every single chore.


Now, if you're a new reader here, you might not be aware that Chloe actually lives with her dad. She left us not-quite three years ago, and after the initial six months, decided to stay. And then three weeks ago I got a random phone call at the crack of (there's a little piece of me that wants to say "at the crack of sparrow fart", cause it makes me giggle, but I wonder how many people would understand that it means before sunrise, or who would be completely offended. But it still makes me giggle... Riley's been sick for three days, I think I'm sleep-deprived.)

So, this phone call came from Chloe, then I called her dad, and ended up with a teenager under my roof. And it's payback. I sound like my mother "Chloe, don't swear", "Chloe, stop talking", "Chloe, please empty the dishwasher/vacuum/read a book to Riley", often accompanied by ranting, back chat, arguments, tears. But it's been good for everyone - the kids have had to be more organised in the morning (as have I - she goes to school ten minutes up the road, but there's no public transport from our area, so I have to drive her there and back); we've come to realise Douglas had too many chores and not enough rewards, so we've changed that for all the kids (not as many chores, or Chloe and Douglas do chores together, to earn internet time); and I still don't enjoy making school lunches, but I enjoy drivng, so the drive to and from school makes up for it.

I'll be sad when she goes back (in a couple of weeks), but glad to get my house back. Meanwhile, she's reminded me to talk to the kids, rather than yell (although Steve is having trouble with that message), and that I owe my mother a big apology for my teenage years. Sorry, mum.

Do your teenagers remind you of you at the same age? Did you ever apologise to your parents for being a teenager?
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4 comments

  1. First, I'd like to say that this is a fabulous photo of Chloe! I love it!

    I was a mouthy teenager myself, and I have apologized to my mom. I really had it easy with Carrie, and I'm sure her teenaged years were challenging, but I don't remember them being that bad. I suppose you forget that part after a while {she turns 23 today}. Hang in there, Mom! She'll have a teenager of her own one day and will be apologizing to you! xo

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  2. I am dreading the teenage years - my daughter behaves like that now @ 7!

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  3. Beautiful photo - well done you for making adjustments and adapting to the situation ...
    I feel like this whenever my boys come home from Uni - a day or two of bliss that they're home again, followed by ructions & resentments when they don't really fit in and treat the place like a hotel, followed by a bit of give & take and we manage to rub along quite well until they leave again!

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  4. I've had it pretty easy with my kids - I think both me and their dad were quietly rebellious during our teenage years, so lucky for us it is a bit of what goes around, comes around. Remember this too shall pass, all too quickly. I really miss the days of driving my kids to school, just another 6 months or so and my taxi service will no longer be needed (boo hoo hoo).

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