DS (14) Finds it hard to Chat

[ConstanceWearing]

I have 3 teenage girls. We all get on lovely.
My DS1 is now 14 and if he has started puberty it hasn't affected him too much, because he is a sweetheart.

Thing is, he finds it very hard to talk about anything. If he starts a conversation, it's always about a TV programme he's seen, then he'll quote me a funny line from it, and if I let him carry on he'd quote me the whole programme, if not the series.

I never notice him striking up a conversation about anything else, and tbh it's boring and his sisters get impatient with his quotes and tell him to shut up .

I don't know much about boys, and am a lone parent.

Is this kind of communication strange from a teenage boy?
How do other mums communicate with their sons? And what do they talk about, please?

I worry I will do him a disservice, purely by not knowing what to talk to him about.

[3littlefrogs]

This is normal with teenage boys. Between the ages of about 14 and 17 they communicate with grunts. The grunts do vary - there are several tones and inflexions, but grunts nonetheless.

They can manage short sentences like:
"can you lend me a fiver/tenner?" and

"is there any food?"
But otherwise, grunts.

The only exception to this is when they are conversing with their friends, particularly on the phone, when you could be forgiven for thinking they are speaking in Alien. All you hear are grunts, interspersed with:

"Jokes" "safe", "innit?" and "la'er on".

[Lilymaid]

He's normal. He will talk again when he is 17+

[ConstanceWearing]

I thank you Califrau! It's littlewoman, I changed

Thank you three little frogs. I'm so used to girls, I'm paranoid about messing my ds1 up. So it's good to know he's normal

[ConstanceWearing]

Oops, thank you too Lilymaid. didn't mean to leave you out

[suedonim]

Seems par for the course, Constancewearing. My ds1 went into his bedroom when he was 12 and didn't emerge again, except for school, until he was 15!! He's now grown up and married and to all intents and purposes seems v normal.

[ConstanceWearing]

Oh I dream of the day when all my children are grown up and taking care of themselves, and I don't have to worry that everything that goes wrong for them is somehow my fault, suedonim

[suedonim]

Don't make the mistake of thinking you no longer have to worry once they're grown, Contance!! I still fret about mine, their health, their choices in life (ds1's wife is Jewish and training to be a rabbi so he's had to totally rethink his life) and so on. They still bring their washing home, as well, if they get the chance.

[AbbeyA]

I am afraid it is normal! It is difficult to get anything much out of my once lovely, bubbly,funny DS now that he has hit teens. He speaks if he has something to say;a quote from a TV programme would be quite nice!
We just keep talking to him and including him in conversations and hope that he will eventually get the art of conversation! Suedonim is quite right-you still worry when they are fully grown!!

[maidamess]

Oh dear, my 7 year old does this constant replaying of tv dialogue already...not much hope for him is there?