Any good bits about having teenagers???

[tinypandatwo]

Just got to the teenage stage, so worried that most of the posts are about difficult teens. Anyone got any good points they could share?

[tabulahrasa]

mine can reach high up things for me...um...

[GypsyMoth]

They can fix techie stuff on computers

Their tastebuds are maturing and they will experiment ( and eat) more..

They are funny

[tabulahrasa]

oh yes, funny even more so when they're not trying to be, lol

lucky you ILoveTIFFANY - I have to round fixing what they've broken on my computers

You don't need a babysitter (well I do for the younger one, but I can farm her out easier)

[GladysLeap]

They can make you tea

They can go with you to the cinema.

They are good company when they want to be

I miss my teens :( They are all grown up and gone.

[SecretSquirrels]

They're all good bits.
I love them. It doesn't mean I don't miss the babies that I used to have but my teenage boys are just as rewarding in different ways.
They lift you up and swing you round in a big hug when they come home.
They believe in things with a passion.
You can have proper adult conversations.
They are good company at home, out or on holidays.
They still want your praise and love and they still want ot please you.
They wear funny clothes, but no coats.
Very big shoes.
They ask your advice about girls
loads more...

[LeBOF]

Oh so much! Funny, good company, helpful, full of stories about what's going on, happy to watch crappy television with you and eat cake. This is my favourite bit of having had children.

[Juule]

Depends a lot on the teen.
You might have got a really good one:o

[NicolaWorkHardPartyHarder]

my ds eats up all the odd scraps left in fridge,is quite a big boy and gives me lovely 6-foot-tall hugs. . dd has girly chats, helps me clothes-wise as well (she has got much better taste than me...). Make tea, baby-sit their half siblings...thanks for this post,really enjoyed reading all the other responses

[Dustinthewind]

What SS said. It's why I rarely post in the teens section, nothing to complain about.
Mine are 17 and 21 now, it's been a fairly easy ride but I have a very atypical household. More like a shared house than a feuding family home. Works well for us.

[sodapops]

Mine are amazing.

They are bright, bubbly and talkative.
They are great friends to me, DH, each other and their friends.
They make tea and cook meals.
They look after me and I sometimes wonder who is the child!
They are so funny.
They lie in for hours and hours and hours!
They still like cuddles and kisses. DS2(15) is 6ft tall and gets on his knees so he can feel small when he has a hug!
They tuck me in when I have fallen asleep reading.

I have loved the teen stage with my DSes. It is like every relationship , though, you reap what you sow!

[crazynanna]

In a few more years they'll be gooooneee

Can't think of another one

[zeeboo]

Everything! I love my teens! You don't have to do much for them, they canc

[zeeboo]

Argh. Pressed send too soon.
They can cook, they do housework, are funny, great cinema company for films dh doesn't like. Great to shop with. Helpful with the baby. Just generally good company!

[Pagwatch]

Mine are great.
love, love love having teens!

I like finding that ds1 has downloaded a playlist of stuff he thinks I will like onto my iPod. I love that he draws for me. Tells me jokes.
I love all the hugs, how interesting their thoughts are. I love when they have great hulking friends over and they all loom in the doorway saying 'how are you mrs pagwatch, thank you for having me

I miss my biggest so much now he has gone to uni.

Teenagers are mostly great

[Dustinthewind]

I love the way that mine know stuff I don't and are prepared to explain and teach me if I want to know. I know a lot more about modern art now, and origami.

[GypsyMoth]

With mine I particularly love googling stuff that interests them. I remember few years back dd was obsessed with the 'titanic' and she found so many things on the internet that I didn't know. They are all history buffs too.....ww2 especially, so we watch all the old films together and I get ' mum, did you know....'

And I'm like this because no, I didn't know that about the Somme/Flanders etc..... So they educate me too!

[GetOrfMoiiLand]

It is (imo) the best stage of motherhood by a mile. I love it.

They are very very funny.
They have morals and haven't been ground down with the cynicism of life - it is lovely to see a young adult developing their morals and beliefs and feeling so stringly about it.
They can cook and clean for you.
You can send them up the shops.
You can go out to dinner in nice places and have a brilliant conversation.
They come and sit on your lap in great 6 feet tall lumps and it is lovely.
They fill the house with their mates, who are usually lovely as well.
If you have a dd you can borrow their clothes and hairspray.

And more and more.

The downsides are few and far between, by far the worst thing is the exam stress and nightmares. It is truly awful. Be prepared to be a real shoulder to cry on and to be there physically a lot during GCSE time.

[adamschic]

Mine is great, fab company, we really are best mates. She is nearly an adult herself and the teen years have been 90% pleasure (obviously they all have their moments). Best part of being a parent for me, she was a challenging younger child.

[GetOrfMoiiLand]

X posts sodapops re the hugs from great big kids.

Pagwatch I envyied my friend with her 3 sons - she always had a house full of great gallumphing hulking boys and it was lovely. It's not quite the same with girls, still lovely how they all come and chat, though, and giggle shyly.

[Dustinthewind]

Good idea for a thread OP.

[Pagwatch]

. I can't compare getorf, I have to wait until Paggirl is a bit bigger to see what girls are like.

I did come home one day, opened the four to find about 8 huge blokes blocking the whole of the hall. For about 5 seconds I thought I was being robbed but it was apparently back to ours after rugby training ...

[LeBOF]

Apparently I convinced dd's friend to stay on at sixth form the other day, where her parents and teachers had failed- dd sent me a text to tell me how happy I've made all her mates . I swear it took about two sentences and a shrug (with possibly a hollow laugh about jobs), and I didn't even know I was doing it. Mumsnet has taught me well.

[schoolchauffeur]

I miss the babies they were, but I found the toddler stage stressful. As teens they are a joy- they still tell me they love me, but we can also talk about books we read and see films which aren't animations, go out for dinner late to interesting places, they bring lovely people home , are so optimistic about life and their future, DD is my stylist, DS my technical consultant, they send me ideas for books to read and music to listen to, will watch rubbish telly and eat crisps. They can pour me wine and make meals from stuff in the fridge and work the washing machine. But they still need me to sort stuff out for them, need advice and a bit of nagging. Definitely my favourite parenting bit so far!

[MyCatHasStaff]

All of the above. Especially the hugs and care. Mine is also 6ft of loveliness. We went to Germany at xmas, and he's been before and speaks the language, so he was our guide, I loved it and so did he.

[ivykaty44]

I came home last week and mine had baked me a dozen cakes and had dinner on the table she wanted to say thank you to me for my help the previous day