Teenage boys are great

Teen boys are the best. Teen DC home from Uni and just wants to chill on the sofa with us, eating chocolates and making cups of tea for me, and watching movies together.

Teen DC2 also loving sofa fest of choc and movies. I love how they delight in simple pleasures like a crispy roast potato. They both loved all their presents and snuggling up to them on the sofa is like having them back as toddlers again when our whole world was just us cuddled up watching a Disney movie and wishing time would stand still.

Yes! This is my DS, who is 14, and his friends, and it's a joy to witness all of that.

Thank you for this thread, I completely agree. Boys in general get a bad press (so many women seem desperate for a girl), and teenage boys particularly vilified. But my now 20 year old is a giant softy and very caring. I love seeing all his friends, they are a great little gang and very loyal to each other.

I’m reading this holding my four month old baby boy, while his big brother goes to the park with grandad - thank you for making me even more excited to see who they become as they grow up, what a lovely thread!

Exactly this. Absolutely brilliant human beings, adore the bones of them and they me. Feel so lucky

YANBU OP. I have one, he's fab. Still working on teaching thoughtfulness, like toddlers, teens can sometimes be self centred, but we're getting there. He's kind, he's polite, he helps around the house with no promise of reward. He's great company, has a fab sense of humour, and is passionate about his hobbies and friends. Wouldn't swap him for the world! It makes me sad that he gets lumped in as a "horrible teenager" by strangers. Neither him nor his mates ever cause any bother. They are all of the same ilk.

I have to agree. I don't have any but Sat in front of a group at church who had got back together after the older two were at uni for a term. They were teasing each other to bellow "come all ye faithful" louder and bickering in a lovely labrador esq way! Such a joy!

This thread has made my eyes wet. Mine can be a giant pain in the arse but has a brilliant banter-y relationship with his mates and I love hearing them laughing hysterically and taking the mick out of each other.

Labradors indeed!

Oh and my giant puppy boy is so nice to little kids and they gravitate to him. Our friends 4 year old ADORES him and makes him do wrestling games when he comes round. So so sweet.

Oh and he even told me my hair looked nice yesterday!!

I totally agree! My nearly 15 year old DS is a pain in the arse - ADHD, other additional needs thrown out of school, smokes weed in his room on occasion and I still think he is totally ace. He is the funniest person I've ever met and even though he never shuts up I love spending time with him. He's got such a good heart and it makes mine squeeze when I think about him struggling.

Mine is more cat than labrador: aloof, loner, strong embarrassment drive, low empathy; high snark. He's great to watch TV with though.

I do admit I'm envious of friends with more sociable, straightforward boys. It's kind of what I thought I'd have.

Mornin' all.

I'm a very fortunate pseudo-aunt to a load of teenage and young adult boys who almost always make an effort to see me during their school/ uni holidays. I also work with loads of teenagers.

They get bad press. I see so many small kindnesses and thoughtful behaviour. They are funny and generous and often thoughtful.

The two who live near the elderly family member I care for remotely are always amenable to sorting out her tech issues (I pay them for their time) and are happy to spend ages chatting to a slightly confused old lady who has lost the iplayer app on her TV (again).

Once hed had his haircut they all made a big fuss of him and told him how fresh he looked 😅

That is so sweet

I have one labrador currently in the throws of puberty, complete with unending hunger 2 inch growth overnight, and the sweetest little fuzzy moustache, and the conversation has moved on from Minecraft to some world domination game - the adjustment to hearing his (adorably positive to each other) friends voices suddenly dropping to lower registers was hard though!

And one pre-teen boy who's more like a.cat who only wants to lounge on me, steal my seat on the settee and wear my jumpers/coats (stole my long wool coat the other day, I thought he actually looked so cute in it he should keep it)

They are both adorable in their own goofy ways, and I wouldn't change them for the world.

What a fantastic thread. My 17 year old son is the Labrador you describe (if you get 6ft7 puppies). He eats as an Olympic sport, holds doors open for strangers , is frequently "borrowed" in shops by people wanting stuff from the top shelf and is totally oblivious as to why various girls bake cookies for him 🤦🏻‍♀️. I've also just found out that he has been using his pocket money to buy burgers and coffee for an old homeless man who hangs around the local cinema as "he was cold and hungry."

I have two, one academic, one practical, total polar opposites, but both bloody fantastic

Just wanted to say, I'm a single mum of 2 boys age 9 and 6 and it's lovely reading this thread!

A few months back I was in the barbers with my DS7 and there were a few teenage boys just being teenagers, just having a laugh with each other

One saw DS looking at them and said hello mate, a few minutes later they were talking about popping to the shop whilst they were waiting and then offered to get DS somthing. Came back with a drink for him

They looked so intimidating at first glance too. All tall, loud, dressed in black, tracksuits ect. And all of them were lovely to my DS. He hates the barbers and came out beaming.

Once hed had his haircut they all made a big fuss of him and told him how fresh he looked 😅

My friend has a 19 year old son who is very much like you have described your DS and his friends. I always tell my friend I really hope my DS is similar to her DS when hes older.

I think teem boys get a bad rep but any I know or have come across have always been so nice! It tends to be teenage girls that are a little more difficult to deal with

Oh and my proudest moment, a couple of days after he was late home from school with a "missed the bus" shrug, was a phonecall from school telling me he was late because he'd stopped to give a girl medical assistance and phone her parents, and wait with her whilst they arrived.

I'm going to rename these "Labrador moments" 😂

Both my DC are girls, my eldest is a lesbian so again another girl in the family, they’re all wonderful girls.

our youngest has a BF who sadly lost his mum 18months ago and spends a lot of time with us, we are away for Christmas and hes just the sweetest boy, makes us laugh, is great fun, kind, considerate, clumsy, eats more than my girls ever did together (I think trying to fill his gangly legs), we (me and DH) love having him around.

His mum raised a great lad and she would be proud.

That is so beautifully written OP. I have daughters but that perfectly describes their male friends! They’re all adults now and there’s nothing like a giant bear hug from one of those formerly gangly teenagers!

Mine can be challenging at times at home, but when the Labrador shines through, it makes my day. As we near 16, the Labrador ratio is increasing.

He does a lot of volunteering and the feedback I get about him makes me so proud. "Amazing, he's so good, such a big help, so good with the kids, hasn't stopped all day, does anything you ask." Are what I get flooded with when I pick him up.

Awwwww wow - congratulations 🥳

They'll be teens before you know it. Enjoy!