In honor of my son, Mr. T, who turned 16 on Monday, I thought I would bring you
16 Ways to Know you have a Teenage Boy
- Your water bill has gone up. This is due to extended showers. I fully believe that this is due to a sudden interest in cleanliness. This is the story. This is the truth. I refuse to believe anything else.
- The fact that there must be a force-field around all of your laundry hampers is a genuine concern.
- You understand what Snapchat is, how it works and yes, you are worried.
- Food disappears. Like overnight. Like if you wash a bunch of grapes and lovingly pluck them from the stems and put them in a bowl in the fridge, make sure you eat all you want right then. They won’t be there in the morning.
- Serving sizes become meaningless. The note that says “Serves Four” becomes “Serves a mom, a teenage son and 3 tablespoons will be left over. Too little to save for tomorrows lunch but too much apparently for the human garbage disposal to eat.”
- You’ve heard the perks of living at home, and they don’t include love, they include Food, Shelter and Wi-fi.
- You start to wonder if eyes really can roll back into a head, and if so – is it worth a trip to the emergency room? Didn’t you warn them when they were younger that “If you keep making that face it will stick that way?”
- You’ve had a conversation and then had to sneak onto the internet to translate what was actually said.
- You know what Kk, Bae, Molly and Poppin’ Tags all stand for.
- You’ve had a complete conversation where all of the answers you received were in the form of sighs and grunts.
- There have been days when you communicate via Twitter and Text more than you talk in person.
- “Can I drive?” Is the most common phrase in your house. You even start hearing it in your sleep.
- You have to troll Twitter to find out what is going on in your kids life. #StalkerMom
- Mysterious phone calls start coming in. Sometimes these phone calls require hanging out in the back yard.
- Clouds of aftershave/deodorant/cologne is becoming a permanent feature in the bathroom.
- You have heard the “Mom, I need my space” talk.
If any of the above has happened to you, you might be raising a teenage boy!
And you know what?
I wouldn’t change it for the world.
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Alexi’s not quite there yet, he turns 15 at Christmas time though. And I spend more time talking to Rian’s door than to her.
Hahaha! And I thank God I didn’t have a girl. I think He knew that was a challenge I wasn’t cut out for!!
It’s definitely a challenge. Teens girls are mean.
sigh, yes they are. I have never understood it.
Hahaha too funny. And yeah, teenage boys are known for their errr cleanliness. Can hardly wait until I have to deal with all this stuff. Geez.
🙂 It’ll be here sooner than you know, but fortunately, you still have many, many years to go!
OMG! I’m scared for the boy teen years! Can I just keep my Little Dude 4 yr old forever? Love the Food, Shelter & Wifi! Who needs anything else!
Apparently that’s all my son needs!! 🙂
Little Dude will be there before you know it – but you still have so many wonderfully cuddly years to go before you get there!
Laughing at this. My teenage daughter was despondent and dumb-struck into silence this weekend when we told her we would not be “giving” her a car when she turned 16. She literally came downstairs and said to us, “I really don’t know what you mean by that.” Let us translate “You….are….not…getting…your…own…car….from….us.” Thanks for the smiles, Kate.
LOL! I love that she didn’t understand! 🙂 What a great life lesson! I’m going to be giggling over this all day!
Oh Belated Happy Birthday to Mr. T. I didn’t know he’s also an August child, just like little T who’ll be turning 4 on Tuesday! … What on earth is Snapchat? I’m so behind… I have three brothers, and I remember what it was like growing up with them. Yes, food always seemed to disappear so fast! I remember groceries and snacks disappearing even before I had my share. You can imagine the arguments/fights we had! Hahaha.
Lol! I bet it was awful to not get any of the treats after a shopping trip! Fortunately I’ve thrown enough fits that Mr. T knows not to drink the last of anything! I don’t drink many cokes, but with I want one, there better be one waiting on me!
And Snapchat is a messaging program where you sent pictures and jets back and forth and they “disappear” after you read them.
And, happy early birthday to little T!! 🙂
Thanks for the heads up for my future! At least it sounds like my son will finally clean himself. I’m getting real tired of saying “take a shower, use soap, clean your body, use shampoo and wash your hair. Don’t just stand there in the water singing fart songs.”
LOL, that is the plus side, your son will be very clean! That is a nice silver lining 🙂
And, fart songs aren’t as funny, so hey – another plus!
I think I have a problem…my guy is only 8, and we’re already meeting half of these… YIKES!
hahahahaha! Oh, he’s starting early 😀
Poppin tags? lol What!?
I know right – it means to go shopping. Because apparently “let’s go shopping” is too boring or hard to say! LOL
I can almost be a parent vicariously through your blog! It reminded me of when I was that age!
Lol!! Probably best comment ever Kari! That cracked me up! And I’m hoping that the memories were fun ones 🙂
OMG yes! We had a boy and a girl and when they were teenagers food shopping became a full time job. After some debate, we decided that we would rather have their friends visit us than have them disappear into the unknown. In retrospect I would still recommend this, as it kept us on top of where the peer pressure came from, However, groceries became a big challenge. One weekend when they were 17 and 19 respectively, my wife and I decided to take a weekend away. We laid in $375 worth of groceries and after all the appropriate admonishments and exchange of phone numbers, we departed. The weekend went well for us and when we returned, the house was neat and clean and all seemed well, until we opened the fridge. It was empty. And they were asking if we had any food with us – as if they were starving. AArgh! And they were skiny and very active in sports so I couldn’t say anything – they were using all the energy they loaded. Sigh.
Oh, hey, tell your son that I got a great laugh out of his sunglasses with the unibrow and the mustache. So cool – now I need a pair. Ha! 😀
That was a lot of food they went through in one weekend!! I agree with having the friends come over and I keep an open door policy! I think it’s so important to keep on top of it all!
Oh those glasses! They get stares everywhere we go, but I love them! He’s saving up to buy more! Lol.
Awwwwwwww… You’re so sweet. Mine will never get that big . I told him he’s not allowed.
Hahahhahahaha! Yes, I had that discussion with mine, too. And like many other discussions we’ve had, he didn’t listen!!!
Love this! I will add, your household Google Store account shows you downloaded 15 Minecraft related apps, a body function noise app and several video game emulators.
Hahahhahahaha! Yes!!
I have a 15…almost 16 year old and 19 year old boy and I don’t know what any of those tags mean!!!! help! Of course I loved reading this. I can relate to a ton of it. And I totally dig the pictures of you guys together. I still think you are such a great mama to such an awesome dude.
Thanks so much Tracie! It was fun to sit and think about all of the random things we get to encounter as moms to boys! 🙂 And thanks, my prayer is to be the mom he needs, that’s all I can ask for!
You forgot Yolo 😜 yes life with a teenage son is interesting that’s for sure. Thanks for the laugh 😃😃
Yes! YOLO! Hahahhahahaha! That was one I really had to look up! 🙂
So, that’s what coming, ehh? Is there any way to prepare?
Oh I wish I had the magic formula to help you prepare, but I searched high and low and never found it! All I can say is hold on tight, it’s gonna be a fun ride!
Will do Ms.
LOL!!! Can’t wait!
Just enjoy all of those craft times now! Pretty soon you’ll have long showers in your future! 😀
my heart goes out to you. But al least it’s only a phase (we hope 😉
I’ll take this phase and do my best to enjoy it! 🙂 Between school, cheer, theater and now the job he is so desperate to get… I won’t see much of him at all!
So funny Kate!!!! Love the love behind the humor 🙂
Thanks Val! I feel very fortunate that despite it all we have the love. And very blessed that we have the humor to go along with it! Life can be hard and it’s good to take a breath and laugh with someone over it! 🙂
Absolutely Kate. 🙂
Life is serious enough without having to take it so seriously!
Sounds like you nailed them all 😉
LOL! Thanks! 🙂
OH Lord. Number one. I will refuse to believe anything else too! Hahahah!
Yes! You just will become very proud of the sudden interest in being clean!! That is all that is happening!
Oh, yes. Although I have no sons, I have experienced all of the above (and then some). I feel your ‘pain’…and laughed with you. You have such a wonderful way of viewing your experiences and sharing them. At least he isn’t stomping off and slamming the bedroom door whilst yelling “You just don’t understand”!
Oh, how I raise my hands and thank the Lord that I didn’t have a girl!! LOL
The funny thing was, as I was thinking about writing this post, I was totally drawing a blank, I could only come up with like 3 items that T did that fit the bill, I was even starting to research! (research a post? that’s not like me!), but I sat down and all of the sudden, it just flowed! LOL. Apparently he is a real teenager! 🙂
As real as it gets!