Readers Respond: You know you're a parent of a teen when...

Responses: 19

By Denise Witmer, About.com Guide

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From the article: Tactics Parents Use to Stay Involved With Their Teens

It is a scary time, when your little angel enters adolescence. All of a sudden, they are thinking for themselves, making decisions and following them through without you. While you may not know the exact moment of when you became a parent of a teen, I’d bet there was something that told you the metamorphosis had begun. Share Your Story

You Get Your Freedom, Sort Of

When you've finally got some freedom - and then the kids take your car.
—2writenride

There's no food left!

A day or two after grocery shopping and all the ready to eat foods/snacks are missing. Oh, and the gallon of milk gone in less than 24 hours because someone decided to eat a whole box of cereal!
—Guest WicceMother

A New Understanding

You understand why some animals eat their young at birth.
—Guest Regan

Keep smiling

It's good to know I'm not alone and my child is "normal". Keeping a good sense of humor certainly helps. They won"t be teenagers forever! Thank God! Lol! :)
—Guest Linda

Who knew?

Who knew you can some days dislike someone and yet love him or her with all your heart ?
—Guest Cathy

Who Did I Give Birth To?

You wonder to yourself ''When did I give birth to Jekyll and Hyde?''
—Guest Maverick

The Grandaughter texts-

Gramps, have a nice day. Dad has grounded my again. Love
—Guest Tenn Slim

An ephinany

When simultaneously you realize two things: everything your parents told you was the truth and now you have your own child that thinks you're full of sh*%.
—Guest Kev

You turn into your own parents

You get the feeling of déjà vu every time you talk to them because you're saying all the things your parents said to you when you were their age.
—Guest Joe

Shrinking vocabulary

...When your loquacious child suddenly only has one word in their vocabulary - "Whateva!"
—Guest Jane

I Agree

My once sweet, well behaved(for the most part) practically straight A student, is a sassy mouthed, concerned about her outfit, though she'll skip taking a shower, 13-y/old girl, and some days it's all I can do not to scream "Beam me up, Scotty!" or "Calgon-Take me away!"
—Guest LJ

Independence

When you realize launching your teen into adulthood doesn't feel so bad!
—Guest sue

Drama

That lovely "boy" turns into one of them ... with that aggressive, angry, non-communicating, I-know-it-all-attitude. How sad it is when just about everything becomes an issue and every parent becomes the ogre who knows NOTHING?
—Guest Gillian

Angry and Irritable

When the parents in my teen clinic ask if they can discuss that their daughter or son has become so angry and/or irritable. I can usually guess the exact stage of adolescence as soon as they mention that. ;-)
—theteendoc