TEENAGERS!!

Updated with some of the wonderful advice I have received via facebook...
If you had but one bit of advice on raising teenagers, what would it be?

PICK YOUR BATTLES WISELY! With teens, drama comes and goes like a breeze. the more you feed it the bigger it gets. Learn to pick your battles....let the little stuff go. Save the drama starting for the things that matter.

Just simply remember: the more you tell your teenage daughter not to date that 24 year old construction worker, the quicker she'll jump into his Camaro

JUST SAY NO!!!!!!

Keep them talking...no matter the subject, make sure the lines of communication are always open

If you don't like the guy/girl, and you think they are inappropriate in some way....act as though you like them, and really play it up in front of the kid. Reverse psych works wonders...In the case of teenage girls, and this advice is for the dads, make sure the high school boys get the impression early that you are absolutely psycho and willing to make them disappear early in the girls high school time. I can only say it worked for me....lol.

Be their "PARENT", you can be friends when they're adults.

If they are close to you growing up, as in talking to you openly about stuff, you are far better off not to betray that so you can keep tabs on them than to ruin it and get nothing.

What my mom always told my sisters' and I was .. "I would rather you not ,but you make that decision" ..and we didnt have anyone to blame if we did it . sooo it kept us most of the time out of trouble..

Don't have kids!

TOO LATE! HAHAHHAHAHA

Think of what you put your parents through, and let the teenagers continue to do what's best: raise you! Ahhhaaaa

A lot of prayer, trust and patience!!

I try not to think of all the hell I put my mother through...lol. If my kids pulled half the crap I did I'd have had a heart attack long ago....lol.

Enjoy every moment, even though you could pull their heads off.

Speaking from personal experience with being a "teenager' or Martian From Hell, as my mother so lovingly refered to me as, when they turn 12, ship their butts off to military school until they turn 18!!!! Teenagers are horrible little people and they should be hidden from the public....

Choose your battles carefully!

Always rember you were once a teen yourself then you know all the tricks enjoy them you can take a break in about 10 years
I let one know he'd treat my oldest like a gentleman, and let her know the rules long before she was allowed to date. 1) He will come to the door and introduce himself like a man, shake hands like a man, and have you home in the same condition that you left in.2) The first one that pulls up in the driveway and honks the horn can expect a big, red, bald, blur to come flying out hte door to rip them out the crack of the drivers side window to pummel them on the hood of their own car.3) Rule two applies to any and all pickups, same boy or different one.... Read MoreShe had one bf I liked. Nice kid. Followed the rules. Had her home early (15 minutes) every time. He showed up with a buddy driving for a double date. his buddy pulled up and blew the horn. I was half way to the car when her bf jumped out of the back seat screaming "He didn't know! he didn't know!" hahahahhahaNever be afraid to enforce your rules on someone elses teenager. the life you save may be your kids.

It will get better...

PRAY!

First and foremost remember....when they are little -they step on your toes and when they grow up - they step on your heart.....if you want to talk to them calm down, take a trip in the car and lock the doors....that way they can't escape....dont show your hand too quickly and hold some of your cards close to the vest.

We were complete idiots. Think they are smarter than we were. We survived somehow.
We were complete idiots. Think they are smarter than we were. We survived somehow.

Realize there are no perfect children and if there were, your life would be so boring!

Make them believe you will drop them off at the psych ward and leave them there.....AND....you will put their heads through a brick wall

Fear the wrath of mom......but always wish for them to be happy........give em enuff rope, they will hang themselves.

I got a million of em....my kids gave me lots of real life experiences.....and I'm still learning.....wish for grandkids, they are easier and you will let them by with more.

I'm right there w ya girl. Mine is 15 going on 25. PRAY!!!!!

Remember st monica is the patron st of wayward boys and only have one so it only hurts once.

Ok the best I remember was waking up about 2am with Mom beating with a belt, at that point I did not realized that no matter how big and bad I was I had to sleep at sometime, and just thought Mom was crazy at the time. Now I look back on it and know that she was a smart woman because no matter what I thought crazy or not it worked. I never again wanted to get woken up again with a belt.

Patience is a virtue!

Don't pretend like they don't or won't have sex. Teach them how to be responsible about it instead of telling them not to, because they will anyway.

To generalize what she said above, because it applies to more than just sex....If you tell them no to something expect the exact opposite. If you are going to say no make sure you can clarify on their level the reasons why you say it. if you don't you can expect them to go looking for the answer for themselves."Because I said so!" is not a significant reason to do or not do anything....

RUN..hehehe
Thanks Everyone for All Your Advice~

I've noticed that I am always writing about the 2 younger kids and not a lot about the older ones. It is mostly because I spend the greatest amount of time with them, but also it is because, to be honest...teenagers just aren't that entertaining. If my blog was a complaint infested, yelling, fussing, nagging site...then maybe I would post more about the teenage debacles...but I prefer to keep it a little more light-hearted!:-) With that being said, I have decided to dedicate this post to the RAISING OF TEENAGERS! I have posted a question on my facebook page asking for any advice that anyone has on the subject. It is all qreek to me. Even though my oldest is 15 years old, I must say that he has been a joy up until now. It is like someone has jumped in his body and taken him over. The body snatchers! That must be what happened...maybe I need to have a seance and exorcism. I just don't understand how Mommy could go from the sweetest, smartest, most beloved, beautiful person to the stupidest, dumbest, "don't know nothing" person in the course of a summer! If you don't believe me, all you mom's with teenagers, think about it. How many times did your younger child give you love letters, heart drawings, kisses...now think about how many loves letters your teenager has given you?? NONE! We'd probably fall over dead if they did give us one!
But, I am going to take the high road, except defeat and try to change my ways, hoping that I can somehow regain peace in the household. I know it is a hard time...puberty hormones and all that stuff...He is now bigger than me and almost bigger than his dad. I know I must not treat him as a little kid anymore and start treating him like the young man that he is...I am open for any words of wisdom...I will also be updating this post when I receive advice on my facebook page so check back soon!:-) Wish me luck...