Tell me my teens aren't the only ones lol

Wonder if it comes from eating prosciutto which looks and tastes raw to me. (I know I’m weird but it’s a food I can’t see the point of).

There was a point when ds was 16 that he made several dangerous decisions in a row - we were very worried about his ability to stay safe at uni we suggested he take a year out. Fortunately his brain started working properly again and there was no need but we were very worried at the time!

For everyone saying “teach your kids, this is depressing” etc - do you have children?

Mine is 13 and I can’t think of a moment right now - but some of these responses are very familiar! - my daughter definitely has had times where I’ve wanted to shake her and wondered where her common sense had gone!!

She knows how to boil an egg, hoover, use the washing machine, she makes light meals - she’s still young and watches me do things like top up the oil in the car, garden, put together an IKEA piece of furniture. She has her own card and is learning how to ration money - and I’m pretty proud of her overall.

but she does have moments where you would think I hadn’t taught her anything (or that she has come from a terrible home).

Just sticking up for some of the parents because some of us teach them and lead by example - but I’ve come to the conclusion that every now and then she must blank out or this 2 second attention span kicks in and all common sense goes out the window.

Also sometimes you think that they know because they watch you - my daughter has been around me doing the laundry since she was about 3 - but the first time she used a washing machine - I had to take her through it step by step.

In a similar vein, one of my university housemates (science degree) attempted to use Blutac to fix (a) the bolt on the bathroom door and (b) the blade on the Flymo.

Boy phoned his Mum and asked how you got melted plastic off the cooker. Turned out he'd put his pot noodles directly on to the gas ring.

There are some things in life you have to learn for yourself. No matter how hard I nagged my children on somethings they would merrily ignore me. Only for the lightbulb to go off weeks, months or years later - best when they then try to teach you the very same lesson as if it was some sort of epiphany 😆

My DS1 once missed a flight (long haul) because he was so engrossed in texting a friend. He was sitting adjacent to the gate! He was 17 - first solo trip - didn't hear them calling his flight?

DS2 (first solo trip - 18yo), landed and went to baggage claim. Luggage had been lost but he stood by the carousel just watching it go round for THREE hours. Despite me asking him to go to lost luggage.

This has just reminded me of a recent convo with my teen DD. We are going away at Easter to a country with poor wifi so I’ve said it’s the perfect opportunity to go phone/tech free for the week. We’re doing a bit of a road trip.

Anyway, she asks how will we know where we’re going without Google maps. I say, we’ll get a map. She says but we can’t without our phone (looking at me like I’m stupid).

I say, no we’ll buy a hard copy map. You know, like paper?? She is incredulous… “you can’t get a paper map of the world mum with all the roads on it, that would be huge, think about it…” still looking and talking to me like I’m stupid!

I then explain that obviously it won’t have the world on it, just the country we’re visiting.

She rolls her eyes, says whatever and walks off, giving up. She still thinks I’m being stupid and there’s no way I’ll be able to buy a paper map.

Kids don’t figure things out anymore as life is so convenient. My 14 yo went to put a metal bowl in microwave as nobody told him so how was he supposed to know. I feel we should start some tiktok infomercials with common sense stuff on.
the pub quiz will die a death as general knowledge is disappearing. Because they can google stuff they don’t remember it.

I navigated around Europe with one large European atlas in the car with the major routes on. I don’t think kids know directions in uk to get from lands end to john o’groats as without google maps.

This is the point isn't it

My kids do really well and yes I have taught them lots but we all make mistakes and there will always be something? And everyone has different skills and logic, even as adults. There are great threads about misheard lyrics or things I didn't know as adults. It's funny and drop being patronising

I remember my mum 40years agar talking about an adult employee baking a cake without taking egg shells off, it's certainly not a generation thing

Not my teens but me:

Put a hot iron face down on the carpet.
Leaned on a griddle toaster - elbow was badly burned.
Popped a ciggie on the edge of the white bath and burned it, then blamed somebody else.
Knocked a cyclist down by accident.
So many other dumb/arseholish things I couldn't count them.

I have grown into a fully functional adult. 😂

This thread has been great, there are so many good teenagers stories 😆 I don't have any teens yet so I can't contribute to this thread, buuuut as teenagers:

• I used washing up liquid instead of a tablet in the dishwasher because I'd run out. Cue bubbles everywhere*
• My DB was so engrossed in a book that he forgot about the bath he was running. It wasn't long before the ceiling collapsed.
• I bought some Barocca (or a similar Boots alternative) and put the tablet in my mouth. I thought it was a very extreme way to get some vitamin D.

*Actually, I think I was about 21 here. To all the other boring posters complaining about being ill equipped for life... Sod off! Some kids do dumb shit, but they learn a lot in the process.

I work in a prison. The things the inmates can cook in their kettles is unbelievable! The landings smell wonderful at dinner time. which is good because the prison food is gopping

At 19, I put a shelf up over my bed (student house) with loads of sellotape. I then proceeded to put books and weights on it. I woke up to a creaking sound at 3am, the whole lot fell on my face, and I had to call my boyfriend to take me to A and E. I had a couple of rapidly ripening black eyes when we got there, and I had to convince the nurse that my poor boyfriend hadn’t beaten me up.

I remember calling my dad to tell him and he was aghast. He came over the next day and gave me a step by step lesson in how to put up shelf brackets/basic physics.

I’m actually pretty good at DIY these days!

Assuming while your wonderful parents were teaching you how to cook pizza, they neglected lessons in basic human kindness.

I asked my 13 year old to lock the door, she said she doesn't know how to. She only knew how to unlock it. I had to explain it's very similar to unlocking the door just turn the key the other way.
She also once put her jeans on back to front and was very surprised when I pointed it out saying the buttons are on her backside.

When I went to a talk about D of E at the school, they said a boy tried to make hamburger in a bun by putting the raw burger in the bun then cooking it like that

I do have teens and am far from a perfect parent. My teens are 18 and 21 now. My 21 year old lives in a flat with friends. They haven't burnt it down yet.

Do you?

I was an idiotic teenager. I wondered if Dettol tasted as good as it smells….it doesn’t

Mine put pizza in oven fine then halfway through flipped it over to cook both sides..... The pizza was cooking on those wired grill racks... The toppings ended up on oven floor

A friend of mine back in high school thought you filled the washing machine up with water before turning it on.. otherwise how else would the water get there?

Reminds me of the time my 10 yo sister tried to make my mum a cup of tea in bed. Put the water, tea bag and milk in the kettle and boiled it up. More of a chai.

My eldest boys can cook for a family of six, use the washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher and hang and fold washing. They still do stupid stuff. It's how you learn via mistakes and they are free to try and fail in life too.