# Mothers Of Young Teens/Preteens



## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to start a thread for mothers with pre-teens/young teens for quite some time so here it is.
My youngest just turned 13 last week so I am still getting use to him being a teenager. He has three adult siblings, so I have been through this before, but they were closer in age to one another and so they had each other to lean on. It is very different having just one teen(and only one child)in the house.
So if you have preteens or young teens(I was thinking 11 to 15), this is the tribe for you.

Take Care,
Erika


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Bump!

Still seeking a tribe!

Take Care,
Erika


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

Erica, I'm moving your thread to this forum instead of FYT. It really belongs here.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I have 2 preteen girls- my older one is definitely in the "preteen" early puberty stage, while the 9yo is still very much a "little kid" in many ways.


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

I have a just turned 11 yo dd, who is definitely a preteen!!


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

My DD turned 13 in April!


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## momof3boysand1girl (Apr 5, 2005)

I have 4 children--- Dustin -- 14
Ivy ----11


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

My oldest will be 13 in November.


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## sovereignqueen (Aug 5, 2004)

my dsd is 11 and she's definatly having pre-teen angst.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

I have an 11 (12 soon) and 13 yr old.

We have not had any issues of personalty changes yet, so I can't contribute anything in that way yet.


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## spero (Apr 22, 2003)

My oldest two just turned 12 (DD) and 15 (DS), two weeks ago (they share a birthday!).


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## ComeOnLetsGo (Nov 19, 2001)

My oldest two are 14 and 11...fun ages! :LOL


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## dynamicdoula (Jun 11, 2004)

I have an amazing, beautiful and intelligent 13yo step daughter.







Can I play too?


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

My Dd is almost 12 and my Ds is 14.


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## Dar (Apr 12, 2002)

My daughter is 12, she'll be 13 in January. She's an "old" 12, though...

Dar


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## 3 Little Monkeys (Mar 13, 2003)

my oldest will be 11 in 3 weeks - definitely hitting the pre-teen stage. Heck, I have a 4 yo who acts like a preteen, thanks to big sis!


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Dar*
My daughter is 12, she'll be 13 in January. She's an "old" 12, though...

Dar


I hear ya. My oldest was old from the get-go. i am getting a bit of a reprieve, I think, with my middle two.

I have no idea what my youngest might be like...well, maybe i do. Which is why I am glad for this reprieve.









Hey, wait a minute! What am i saying? Even my old soul is a cutie.

I really enjoy my big kids a bunch. I love sharing ideas with them in such an equal way.

I think I'm thinking about me getting older...lol


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi Everybody,

Nice to see you here! And thanks Amma for moving the thread for me.
I will write more tomorrow.

Take Care,
Erika


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom*
I think I'm thinking about me getting older...lol

I can relate! You can't help but think about getting older when your child is suddenly as tall as you are. It's fun having big kids, but I sometimes wish I could slow down this growing-up process. It's happening so fast, I'm afraid if I blink I'll miss something.


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## lab (Jun 11, 2003)

Just wanted to subscribe!

I'm thrilled to see this thread. Thank you for starting it! I see so many threads devoted to young children and toddlers - it's really nice to see moms on this board going through what I am!

My oldest is 11.5, so I'm new to this!

I'm going to run now and read the rest of this thread.


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## carrieglen (Jan 18, 2005)

I'm excited to see this too. My oldest DD is 11.5 and my youngest DD is 9.5.
Hard to believe in a year and a half I'm going to be the mom of a teenager! Yikes!







: Scary and exciting at the same time!


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## Luke'N'Mom24/7 (May 21, 2005)

My DS is 13 and my DD is 10. They're both *very* emotional--it's really weird.

My DS wears size 13 shoes, and is 2 inches taller than me...it is so strange not having to lean down to give him a hug! And my DD wears the same size shoes as me...and as fast as they're growing, I'm glad they're not into the "I have to have the super expensive name-brand" clothes yet!

I look forward to the interesting conversations on this thread!!


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## SagMom (Jan 15, 2002)

Ds is 14 1/2 and dd is almost 11. Both are going through puberty at the same time--THAT's something I hadn't realized was going to happen! :LOL But of course, they each have their own issues surrounding this.

Ds is as tall as I am and has been shopping in the men's department for clothes for about a year now, which is still weird to me. And his voice has deepened--I keep hearing "Was THAT your SON?" from friends when he answers the phone. Dd has begun developing and her moodiness is definately cyclic--I guess any time now...I'm just slightly














:














concerned about us both pmsing at the same time. THAT should be an adventure!

There hasn't been a stage of their childhoods that I DIDN'T like though, and I'm really enjoying seeing them grow.


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

My 13yr old ds is very emotional too. He sometimes has such mixed emotions that I can't tell what he is going to do next. Luckily he is still very attached to us and when he is really feeling confused, he still comes to us for hugs and conversation.








Because he is the youngest of four, I have to remind myself not to discount that he is going through these feelings for the first time. And he has the added feelings of abandonment since his older brothers left for college a couple of years ago. But for the most part, I think he is enjoying being an "only child" for the first time in his life. And we are adjusting to being the parents of one child at home for the first time in 22 years.

Take Care,
Erika


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## Jennymom33 (Oct 2, 2005)

Hi, I'm new here. I have a ds 15, dd, 13 and twin brother and and sis at 8

My son and daughter are definitely teens now. I always see them get caught up in that silly teen drama. They are great kids tho


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

welcome Jennymom33!


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

Erika DP:

I have a son who is 13 and has three adult siblings...lets dish! My DS is so far a great child, and I am a widow raising him. Before DH died of his long illness, I promised him we would be a team and he promised me the same. We both promised DH many things, and we are working toward those goals each day!








:


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

We are really enjoying the pre and teen years with our kids. It's been fun to see them mature







We don't have much (any?) of the teen drama going on fortunately. Ds and his sister are planning to see Corpse Bride on Monday and they are pretty excited.


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## 2BMamaof3 (Oct 13, 2003)

Hey all!

Woo HOO am I glad to see this thread! My eldest (boy) will be 11 at the End of November. He's been a pre-teen for a year with his attitude! But he also has this amazing ability to take responsibility for himself when I'm not looking









My other two kids are 4 and 1...quite a difference.

J, my eldest, is really a great boy, but I'm having a really hard time relating to him lately. I don't know if it is because I have 2 younger children with such different needs, or if this is just a hard age. He's into video games, comic books and maniacal wrestling games (not WWW but just general intense physical play that I never really experienced as a kid). He goes on and on and on about the intricacies of his video games and wants to tell me his new discoveries. I've always heard if I don't listen to them tell me about "nothing" (or what I'm not interested in) they won't ever tell me "something" So I listen. But just as quickly I'm "annoying" to him. The other day after a particularly frustrating morning he told me "every word you say makes me want to scream!" I remember my mom having that affect on me







at times.

My biggest issue is letting go of the control of what he puts into his body and when as far as food goes. He loves to cook, he loves to eat, and mostly he'd prefer to eat what he chooses (fine). But he's not always making the best choices and this affects his mood and temperment and then the entire family must deal with a moody, ill-fed boy. Grrrr!

Oh and there are the phone calls from friends (he wants to call over and over and over to "see if they are home yet!", and the internet/MSN usage, and he wants to go to the skate park unacompanied with friends...these are other issues we're encountering.

We're a very unschooling type family...but there are times when we need cooperation and when we don't get it, and we (as parents) don't let go, that is when we have our struggles. But really....how much freedom can a nearly 11 year old have!!??

Anyway, that is where I am in a very rough nutshell. I hope to hear the wisdom of those who have btdt and from those in the midst.

Take care all and I look forward to hearing about what is going on with you and your pre-teens!

Abby


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## nomadmom (Mar 30, 2003)

My oldest turned 14 last month. He rocks.


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## rainbowmum (Nov 15, 2002)

My eldest dd turns 12 in 2 weeks! Yikes. I do NOT feel old enough to have a pre-teen (I had her when I was 20). She has changed a little over the past year. She gets real stroppy and screamy. She is the only one of my four who had/still has tantrums. Must be hard being the eldest








She hates sharing a room with her sister (9) though they are up their now playing pool together. She is a lovely kid though and I think not too old nor too young for her age. She likes gilry stuff : mags, music, make up. Not that keen on boys even as friends (which sometimes I try and encourage cos it can be nice to have freinds of both sexes). She loves babies/small kids, always has. She loves looking at the reborn dolls on e-bay (whilst I sit there thinking WTF! Why? Who buys them :LOL ).
New territory this pre-teen, teen stuff. I vowed when my kids were little I was gonna try real hard to talk to them and listen and not end up in screaming rows with each other. So far this has worked (helped also by the fact that I get myself out of the way of conflict should someone wish to pick a fight with me )








Hi to all Moms here


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## Luke'N'Mom24/7 (May 21, 2005)

2BMamaof3:

My DS, C, started with the phone calls like that at age 11. If the phone just rings on and no one answers he worries he called the wrong number, then if the machine picks up and he leaves a message, he worries that they heard it and forgot to tell their son, so he wants to call just to make sure they know that he called, and on and on it would go!! He is 13 now, and understands better now how annoying that is and we don't argue about it nearly as much as we used to.

He does want me to let him ride his bike around the neighborhood--no where in particular, and I just cannot allow that. Reason 1: There are about 14 registered sex offenders that live in and around our small city--a couple of them live within a few blocks of us. So as you can imagine, I watch my kids like a HAWK! Reason 2: We live where all the streets are pretty much 25 mph speed limits, but a lot of people speed, roll thru stop signs, and just generally don't watch out for kids and I worry a LOT about that! I do let him ride his bike to meet up with friends, and that's fine if he has a destination, but just to "ride around" the neighborhood--I just feel that's looking for trouble. I don't like not knowing where my kids are and I have to go with my gut on that issue. Don't get me wrong, I do let him and his sister ride together around the block or 2 a bit, but to just roam "wherever" I cannot allow.

Lately I've been letting him go to a local gaming center (where there are rows of computers, xbox consoles, etc. to play on--they're all connected so they can play against each other) to meet up with some of his friends. I was very nervous about it at first, but after I checked it out some, it seems to be a nice, fun place for teens to go "hang out" and not get into trouble. He knows that he can't go there if he's been misbehaving, so it's helped a little to keep him in line







Plus he feels like he's got a little bit of "freedom" when he goes.


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Luke'N'Mom24/7*
.and as fast as they're growing, I'm glad they're not into the "I have to have the super expensive name-brand" clothes yet!


You might be suprised and find out they never really get into that. Mine never did. We happily shop Goodwill and other thrift at least as much as we do retail dept stores.


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Joan*
I'm just slightly














:














concerned about us both pmsing at the same time. THAT should be an adventure!

:LOL oh yes. Well I don't PMS so much as I have really severe (read messed up!) cycles, but they don't happen often enough to be an issue I guess. Dd started about 4 months ago, and so far so good. Just a day or two of "Everything is a huge problem to me right now even if its something small, and we already fixed it because today everything sucks" but nothing we can't get through.

I am with you on enjoying the ages and stages. What an amazing thing to watch these babies grow!


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UnschoolnMa*

You might be suprised and find out they never really get into that. Mine never did. We happily shop Goodwill and other thrift at least as much as we do retail dept stores.










This has been our exp as well. The kids actually enjoy the hunt. They have things they might not have, too, if they had to buy new.

My kids also take a pride in our green and organic ways. My 16 yr old esp enjoys clueing others in on the hippie aspect of our lives. So far, no shame, all pride.


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *applejuice*
Erika DP:

I have a son who is 13 and has three adult siblings...lets dish! My DS is so far a great child, and I am a widow raising him. Before DH died of his long illness, I promised him we would be a team and he promised me the same. We both promised DH many things, and we are working toward those goals each day!








:

Hi applejuice,

Sorry to hear about your loss. I am glad to hear that you and your son are working together on your goals as a team. You must be so proud of him(and he of you!).
How old are your adults? Mine are 20, almost 23 and 26. We are all very close, even though my daughter(the oldest) and older sons live very far from home.
The most interesting thing for me is that I was considered a young mother for the first 3 and a "older" mother for the last(not by today's standards).
So I never quite fit in. Many of my classmates are parents of toddlers and/or just starting out as parents. And most of my older kid's friend's parents are 10 to 15 years older than me. So sometimes we don't have a lot to talk about besides the kids.
My 13 yr old is different from his siblings. He is very attached to us(even more so than the others), he like to have pretty predictable routine and he doesn't seem to be as anxious to grow up as they were. Which is fine for us!
My biggest worry for him is that he is lonely not having the older ones around. He really misses them being around on a daily basis. And so do I.

Take Care,
Erika


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## paganmommy (Nov 9, 2004)

I have two boys, the oldest is 12. He has always been a free spirit, open to others, outgoing, honest, moody too at times but I have to say that most people love his personality. My concern is that he has always been interested in girls, has always liked a girl, even at an early age. My other son, no way.
K has had a "girlfriend" since a early age. Some of these relationshiops obviously are very short, can even be hours, lol. But, he is always talking about this and now he is going out with a eighth grader who is well-developed and I am getting kind of freaked out. I don't discourage this at all, we talk honestly about sex, HIV, all the good and the bad. He is well-educated in this way. I just wanted to know if other people have boys or girls who are really into the relationship thing at this age and before puberty. I just need a little reasurrance. Thanks


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UnschoolnMa*

We happily shop Goodwill and other thrift at least as much as we do retail dept stores.









Ditto for my family! My nickname is Bargain Betty! And my older kids love to call me to tell me about their thrift shop finds!

Take Care,
Erika


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi paganmommy,

I just have a few questions.
When you said that your son is "going out" with an 8th grader, what does that mean? When you are talking to your son about his girlfriend(s), have you asked him what that term means to him? When I asked my sons what girlfriend as a term meant to them at that age, it was quite a different meaning than what it meant to me.
My older sons went out with girls to movies and parties starting in their early teens, but it was usually with a group of friends and there were a couple of parental chaperones most times(I think that there were a few times when they went to the mall alone). If you haven't already, it might be helpful to play host to a double date to the mall or to the movies with your son and his girlfriend.
And speaking as the mother of both a daughter and sons, many girls(not all) mature faster than many boys do(not all), both physically and emotionally. His eighth grade friend maybe offering your son exposure to experiences(even if it is just language)that might be ahead of where he is developmentally. Just something to think about.

Take Care,
Erika


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Neither of my kids is dating yet, but we do talk a lot about people they find attractive. We've always talked very openly about sex, and the more complex in depth details of dating and relationships. (Like staying true to yourself, avoiding manipulation etc) I think these first relationships (like Paganmommy described above) can be fun and positive for young teens when parents are paying attention. (and it sounds like she is lol) I too would suggest having the 8th grade friend over for dinner, taking them bowling or whatever but but not being all up in their space etc.


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## SagMom (Jan 15, 2002)

We don't have clothes issues either. My dd lives in jeans & t-shirts and ds wears jeans or cargo pants and t's, but neither one cares about lables.

No dating here either--ds was recently intrigued to find two girls who play "Magic." One of whom keeps beating him! But he hasn't shown any romantic interest in anyone yet.

It's funny, but we were just talking last night about when WE were teens, and how we argued over the telephone, now the kids each rally for the computer instead:

"I told L I'd meet her online at 9:00!"

"Well, R and I are playing a game at 9:00!"

Meanwhile, the phone sits idle. :LOL


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## 2BMamaof3 (Oct 13, 2003)

My guy, (nearly 11) asked how old I was when I went on my first date. EEEK. He also called my sister (his confidante for all things girl related). Actually I think this is all great. He's not quite 11. He's not "going out" with anyone...he's just so sweet.

He's just so embarassed by anything romantic or sexual in nature (which is a good indication of the amount of time he spends thinking about it if you ask me). We've always been really open (ok, I've always been open and he's always asked me questions) but he's changed in the last year or so.

As for clothes, the boy is all about the camo-lovin'/sk8 or die sort of look. He told me he doesn't believe in brushing his hair, cleaning his nails or wearing socks. Sooo...the girls aren't going to get too close anyway...well...if they have a nose anyway! LOL

Abby


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

He sounds sweet







I am so close to my son. I really treasure it because I heard so much about how boys,during their teen years, are not normally close to their mothers.









My Dd is really into camoflauge stuff too.


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hello Everyone,

I am heading to St Louis for the Live & Learn Unschooling Conference so I won't be posting here for a little while.
I have been a little stressed getting ready for my trip, but other than that things have been going well. My son and I are looking forward to a great trip together just the two of us, as my husband can't attend this year :-(
I have enjoyed all of the posts here very much. It is so nice to know that other members are sharing some of the same experiences that I am with my son.
Have a good week!

Take Care,
Erika


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Have fun Erika! I bet it will be a blast


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi Everyone,

I am just back from the conference in St Louis. We had a wonderful time and the weather was great. Kelly, the conference coordinator, really did a great job of offering a lot of different activities. The trip to the City Museum is something my son and I will always remember.
The speakers were really passionate about the topics they were speaking about and the audience was very receptive. It was also nice to see so many friends that I only get to see once a year and to make new friends from all over the country.
I was a little disappointed in the conference's lack of diversity(even more so than last year), but I still managed to hold a really informative talk about and for unschoolers of color. And it was really nice to be around so many unschoolers. Especially for my son.
And next year's conference is going to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in early September 2006. The exact dates will be determined soon and I will post them here.

Take Care,
Erika







:


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## Liisa (Jul 20, 2004)

I have one just turered 10 year old and a 14 year old


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## PancakeGoddess (Oct 8, 2004)

Subbing - mine turns 11 next month. We have a lot of mood swings here, but this child has always been intense and moody, so it's hard to sort out what's what. I love the post about working as a team - it can be really challenging!


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Welcome Liisa and Benjalo.

Benjalo, I notice that you have the HS icon in your signature. How long have you been HSing?

Take Care,
Erika


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## shayinme (Jan 2, 2005)

Howdy all! I have a 13 yo son whom I share physical custody of with my ex. My son is a thoughtful and sometimes sensitve boy; I am looking to chat with others who have teenagers. I was a young Mom, had him at 19, i now have a almost 3 month old- talk about a difference but it means that most Mamas I meet these days have small kids. Anyway slinging babe at keyboard so its hard to type but I will be checking back in here.

Shay


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## Bethanydear (May 14, 2003)

My boys are 14, 12, and 11...


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## PancakeGoddess (Oct 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ErikaDP*
Welcome Liisa and Benjalo.

Benjalo, I notice that you have the HS icon in your signature. How long have you been HSing?

Take Care,
Erika

Hi Erika - we've always homeschooled, except for one year of kindergarten for my oldest.


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi to you Benjalo,

Glad to see another homeschooling family here. We are unschoolers and we love it.
Well, it's looks like fall may be over here in NE







. I was watching the news and they had the nerve to mention the S word in the forecast!
But seriously, I love winter(we all love to ski and my son is a snowboarder too), I was just hoping that it wouldn't come before Thanksgiving!
Well I'm off to the library with my son. Here's hoping that it stops raining soon









Take Care,
Erika


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## 7kiddosmom (Feb 18, 2005)

Hi all. Thought I would join. I have 7 children my oldest is 12 1/2 and I also have an 11 1/2 yr old and a 9 yr old. All girls.

Kasey


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi Everyone,

Sorry to not have posted here in a while, I have been visiting other threads here at MDC and getting very involved in conversations there.








How was everyone's Halloween(if you celebrate it)? My son ended up creating his own costume this year. He wanted to be an old fashioned bad guy from the 1930's. And he looked great! Last year he was Popeye, so I think that he likes to be characters from the recent past. I can't wait to see who he comes up with next year.
Well, that all for now. I am off to the library with my son. Have a great day!

Take Care,
Erika


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

My 16 yr old didn't TOT, but my 13 yr old did with her nearly 12 yr old borther, 6 yr old sister, a hs friend, and a cousin. They were very cute. My dd (13) sewed a lot of her costume-- she is also handy with a glue gun. She was a demon. The cutest demon, ever. My 11 yr old was a werewolf, and my youngest was supposed to be a Fire Fairy (with silks), which she was for town parties, but decided to go with a pink princess theme for the night fo halloween. That really suprised me, as she is usually a animal or the like.

Anyway, I am surprised at how easy my teens are. Maybe i shouldn't say that...







Gonna eat my words someday. I figure one of my kids has got to be an Alex Keaton...(character from an 80's show where the hippie parents had a Reagan-loving conservative son-- I think that is pretty much the only way the kids could get to me







).

Of course, my 16 yr old wants my new car every minute!!


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi UU,

All of my teens(my 13 yr is our 4th) were really great to get along with and we never went through that difficult stage that all of the books talk about.
I hope to be similarly blessed with my youngest son.
You can have the same experience with your children, it looks like your on the right track.

Take Care,
Erika


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ErikaDP*
Hi UU,

All of my teens(my 13 yr is our 4th) were really great to get along with and we never went through that difficult stage that all of the books talk about.
I hope to be similarly blessed with my youngest son.
You can have the same experience with your children, it looks like your on the right track.

Take Care,
Erika


That's sweet of you to say.

I do know people who have had excellent relationships with their teens--mostly by accepting them as they are, and showing respect for their needs. I am trying to learn from their good example.

Only time will tell, and all chidlren are different, and have different needs.

I am a mother lioness, for sure.







Our children need dh and me 'differently' as they get older, but they don't need us 'less'.


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom*
I am a mother lioness, for sure.







Our children need dh and me 'differently' as they get older, but they don't need us 'less'.

What a great quote! I wish that I had more room in my signature lines for it.









Take Care,
Erika


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## SagMom (Jan 15, 2002)

My 14 y/o went TOT as Eragon. He described and sketched the outfit and I made the tunic and pants, and he designed and built the sword, bow, and arrows--he looked really good! He was bummed at first, because he had a communication problem with a friend and his plans fell through, but true-to-form, he was out of the house for about 2 minutes before he hooked up with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood and had a group to TOT with!

My 10 y/o (a witch, "A simple, basic, no-nonsense costume.") went with 2 older girls from the neighborhood--I'm in a weird place with that, because she's ALWAYS gotten along better with kids older than she is. But now, at this age, her friends are ready for a lot more than she is. Intellectually, she fits in better with older kids and I wouldn't discourage that, but it makes me a little nervous still.

I took our youngest TOT and at one point, got a phone call saying that Ds's group and dd's group had gotten together and were heading over to the other side of the lake. They had a blast and came home on their own around 8:30 (which was a good thing, because I forgot to tell them about the 9:00 town curfew--that's so weird to me, I just didn't even think of it!)

We haven't had any "typical" teen problems and I don't expect them. People keep telling me, "JUST WAIT, he's only 14..." but, you know, I just can't see it coming to that.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Joan*
We haven't had any "typical" teen problems and I don't expect them. People keep telling me, "JUST WAIT, he's only 14..." but, you know, I just can't see it coming to that.

Well, my oldest will be 17 in a few weeks, and I also don't see it coming to that. I guess only time will tell. But I enjoy my teens. I think they are really interesting and thoughtful and i like being around them. (It's not that we don't have intense discussions sometimes, but that's part of raising thinking folks).


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## rryman (Sep 19, 2005)

Hi, my dd just turned 15 and is going on 30. She thinks she knows it all!







She argues with me about everything and so does ds, age 11. But what can you do? Just







them.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

My 16 yr old and I have been having too many discussions about him *always* wanting my car.







I knew this was going to happen. He was always so *good* at sharing...except he always wants *my* car. Like the seagulls in Finding Nemo, I just wanna also keep saying "Mine mine mine mine mine mine".


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## luna-mia (Jul 25, 2004)

My ds just turned 13 and the "peer pressure" stuff is driving me crazy already. My dsd is 11 as well so she's all geared up and ready to go as well!


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hello Everyone,

How is everybody? Hopefully all is well with your families!
I am reviving this thread because I really enjoyed the conversations here last fall.








We are getting ready for our first family trip of the year-going to visit our hometown, Seattle.
It has been a couple of years since we have visited as a family(my son and I went a couple of times w/o my DH) and we are really looking forward to the trip!
But as much as I love going home, I am always a bit apprehensive about going there because my 13yr old DS has such high expectations of his visits to Seattle and it is nearly impossible to live up to them.
Hopefully, at least the weather will cooperate!







:
Are any of you making family vacation plans now? Where are you headed? How does your family decide where to go?
Well, that all from me for now. I look forward to reading more posts here soon.

Take Care,
Erika







:

Hannah







-Rest in Peace Sweet Girl


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## ani'smama (Nov 12, 2004)

Hello! I recently began visiting this forum - I have a nearly 10 year old dd and she changing very quickly right now! Our family just returned from a trip to Colorado snow skiing two weeks ago. We skied Keystone and Breckenridge - had a blast. Our vacations are fairly predictable, in the winter we go skiing and in the summer we take an inexpensive trip that involves driving somewhere(Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan) and camping most of the time.

Have a wonderful trip to Seattle!


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## Alkenny (May 4, 2004)

I hadn't posted to this thread before....my DD will be 13 in June and my older DS is 10 (11 in October). I'm enjoying them, for the most part. I love that they can think for themselves, form opinions and argue...as long as they are arguing about politics (yes, they do!







) and not with each other or me--we have that too!


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## mama23boys (Mar 25, 2006)

ya a tribe for my older ds who just turned 11!!







) he is looking foward to 6th grade next year but i am worried about it bc he will go from having 1 teacher to at least 3/4. i feel that emotionally he isnt ready for it but he cant be held back for that. ohh yes he also has ADD!

nice to meet everyone!!


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## MillingNome (Nov 18, 2005)

I don't get this thread. Why is there a separate thread in Preteens and Teens forum called Mothers of Young Teens/Preteens? Isn't that the purpose of the forum? Or maybe I'm being cranky because I don't like going through long threads. I'd hate to miss any pearls of wisdom


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## ErikaDP (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi Kathy,

I originally started this thread in FYT forum and the moderator moved it here.
At the time, I didn't know that there was a preteen/teen forum here at MDC and I was looking for support.







Now that you are here, why don't you tell us about your family?

Take Care,
Erika







:


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