We are always working on manners. Its been happening since they were well toddlers but we are still working on them. The kids are good when at other families houses but when in the home I am still saying, "Did you thank your brother for sharing?" or "Did you thank your dad for picking up the science project stuff you needed?". Little or big I still find myself asking if they said please or thank you to things.
They are easily bored. Once a project, game or event is over my teens want to know what's next. I don't accept " I am bored" in the house anymore but I still hear it every now and then. Its like when they were little and would play Legos but when they were done...they were done. They would look for you to entertain them. I don't know when I became so much fun but when one of the teens are bored they come to me to figure out what to do next.
You know when your toddler used to always graze for food. A strawberry here or a fruit snack there. They seem to always be hungry even if they ate or could have another snack. My four teens are notorious for eating. I swear they eat three big square meals a day and still when they come home from school they ravage the fridge like they never have seen food before. Snacks to teens are like meals in themselves. I have no idea how my kids stay so thin with how much they snack. Then they have dinner like they have never eaten that whole day. Never seen anyone eat so much until they are in the teen stage. They are always grazing and want a snack.
My kids go, go, go like the energizer bunny all day long. Then once they are out...they are OUT! I could lift up their arm while they are sleeping and it would just fall down. They really should take naps because it would make their lives easier. Toddlers need a lot of sleep and so do Teens. If they are tired...man can they be cranky. You try to get them to go to bed but they fight you on it. Once their heads hit the pillow they are gone though. Funny how much Teens can be like Toddlers. I guess the one difference is they aren't wearing footed pajamas anymore ha!
When you have toddlers they are needy for attention, to feed them, to be put to bed, to make sure they are loved and to keep them entertained. I don't think that changes once they are Teens. My kids always want my attention. With four of them I seem to always be talking to someone. Even though they are quit capable of making food themselves....I still hear the occasional "Can you make me brownies?" I ask them why they cant and they swear mine taste better even if it does come out of a box. :) Teens need a lot of love and attention even if they think they don't. We always give hugs and say I love you before they go to bed. I want to know about their days and what's going on in their lives.
You have to protect them from themselves. Toddlers who want to get into everything or do things themselves that they cant yet do. Welcome to being a Parent to a Teenager. They still want to get into everything or know everything. I know my kids hear me from another room and want to know what I am talking about. Even if they only heard a word or two. They think they are adults and want to do adult things but aren't there yet. Its hard to be a teen because you aren't a child but you aren't an adult yet either. I keep telling them to not grow up too fast they have plenty of time to pay bills and be in charge of everything ha!
Clothes! I swear my kids grow out of everything so fast. I think they actually grow out of things quicker than when they were little. Growth spurts are crazy. Take one of my 14 year olds Josh. He is 6'1'' at just fourteen. I cant keep that child in shoes! Just one basketball season we had to get shoes twice. Jason my other fourteen year old I cant keep in pants. We will buy pants a little too long and I swear the next week they are high waters. Growth spurts are crazy.
Speaking of clothes I remember when the kids were little and they would dress themselves. You know the shorts with the rubber boots and t-shirt with a scarf and some crazy pok-a-dot hat. They swear that is what they are going to wear. Its cute because they are small and you can look at the cashier at the grocery store and just smile while they say how adventurous your child looks. As teens I have no idea what they think is in fashion. None of them dress the same. I have one boy who wears only skinny jeans and baseball shirts. I have one child who used to swear he could only wear grey jeans and red shirts. My daughter is into Marvel or Anime stuff and when she pulls out a dress I am like whoa where did that come from? I didn't even know you had that still. Then I have one son who will wear anything. If it doesn't fit he will wear it even. He is finally coming into his own where he is having his own style. You cant see it though because he always wears a hoodie. Uhm...Its 80 degrees outside.
Words. Remember when your kids were little and they would say the cutest words and you honestly had no idea what the meaning was. You didn't care because they looked so cute just trying to say things. Now with teens I hear all these words that apparent DO mean things but I have to google it to find out what the meaning actually is. I am going to date myself for sure here but I remember hearing my mother talk to her best friend and say, " No BAD means good. So when she says to me that's bad, she really means that its cool or good". That's how I feel sometimes with the lingo of the kids. I think I am hip to what they are saying. Ok, maybe not....since I just said the word "hip".
I want...I want...Can I have? Can I have? Remember your children in the shopping cart point at everything they wanted and getting upset when you said, "No, not right now." That doesn't change. Its kind of a joke in our family since we have four teens that one will ask for something...Lets say they ask for pizza. We say no, not today. Then the second teen comes in and asks if they can have pizza tonight. Again, we say no not today. Third child comes in and same question and same answer. THEN the fourth teen comes in and honestly didn't hear the others ask. "Hey Mom, can we have pizza tonight for dinner?" By the fourth time you swear you have lost your mind. You say, "NO!" and that child walks off like goodness I just asked for some pizza lol! This happens a lot at our house. It always happens anytime we are out at a store. Can I have? Can I have? I will pay you back! Can I have? Why cant we have? :) A temper tantrum may even ensue! :) Yes....Yes....Teens really can be like Toddlers! I am sure there are many more things but these are the ones that we came up with while we were sitting down to dinner. Plus some brain storming from my husband and I.
Lets not forget the "Are we there yet?". Yep that one still happens also. :) I am lucky though because I feel blessed that the kids aren't growing up so fast that its all business. I love that they are Teens and I love it just as much as when they were all Toddlers. I am blessed to have the kids that I have. Even if they never are full or dress like crazy people. I love them all!
Subscribe by going to the home page and putting in your email or adding yourself to Google+. Remember this is Day 2 of the 7 days giveaway. On March 31st I will be giving away 7 gift cards to Starbucks or Amazon. All you have to do is subscribe and comment to this post. If you comment or the next 5 posts and the one before this one you will get more chances to win also! Its Free so comment away and lets win something fun! Have a blessed day!
