I'm a teenager, AMA.

[sicklyparmaviolet]

Just thought it might be fun and light-hearted to hear any questions you might have for a teenager! (or not, we'll see!)

What's your favourite biscuit?

You mentioned a degree in the future. What do you hope to study?

@EveryPlanetHasAYorkshire I love a pink wafer or a custard cream! What's yours?

Audreyseyebrows I'm keen to study something within the realm of social sciences - currently dipping between psychology, sociology and philosophy. I could also do something creative-writing related I suppose- I'm hoping to do a course with the OU so that fortunately gives me a little more time to decide as their deadlines are a lot later!

do you know what the USSR was? no googling to cheat

@Nomnomarrgh Soviet Union right? Though I'll plead ignorance and admit I don't know what the acronym actually is ...

I'm sure there are tons of little examples like that that gauge my age though

I think I just was aware they were mini computers and anything could be accessed on them. We were living in Germany when they were young teens and luckily not many kids that age had them so I just held off for as long as possible. Mostly so their minds could be free of others influence. The more I read and realise that the apps/programs are deliberately created to be addictive I actually am less and less enamored with them and social media. I use mumsnet a bit and watch YouTube but otherwise don't use social media as I have found, just like you, that the effects on me aren't good and I am much happier and more productive being off social media. I find the Feminism board and people I follow on YouTube as well as other media still keep me well informed. I really don't like how certain voices (especially womens) and narratives are silenced. I think new media is actually anti free speech. So I try and be in the real world as much as possible and not on-line. I am healthier in every way that way.

I also noticed that the one teen we knew who suffered with an eating disorder was given a phone very young and became obsessed with peer affirmation, resulting in crippling anxiety and depression. That is just anecdotal though.

Wishingstarr

I think social media is going to get trickier and trickier to manage in relation to parenting as time goes on. I'm definitely a more educated person due to ease of information on the internet, but I think kids are just going to keep getting cripplingly insecure as social media gets more addictive. I'm just praying for children who aren't interested in it! (though I figure that's probably an unreasonable ask).

I had an eating disorder as well - was probably partially related to social expectation. If I'm honest I think it's probably even harder nowadays in relation to body image (feel absolutely free to disagree) but the pressure isn't even in relation to solely being thin anymore. There's a pressure to be "slim thick" which means tiny waist and large everywhere else which is fundamentally not possible for a lot of women (whereas even if done unhealthily and using horrible methods, most women can get thin to some degree). Sounds bad, but it's true in my opinion.

However, I did grow up without a TV so maybe I was more susceptible to the addictive properties of social media! x

What do you think about Brexit? Do you feel like you've been cheated in some way by being too young to have voted in the referendum, even though the outcome will affect you more/for longer than it will affect the elderly?
I know my teens wish they'd had a voice.

What is the first chart song you remember hearing? This is going to make me feel soooooo old!!

I take it you are a girl?

I can't imagine any real teenager communicating early(relatively) Saturday morning via parental site with bunch of middle aged people. They should be sleeping or enjoying their life in some other way.

Was your current relationship a factor in the breakdown in the relationship with your parents?

How old is your partner?

@pastandpresent

I can't imagine any real teenager communicating early(relatively) Saturday morning via parental site with bunch of middle aged people. They should be sleeping or enjoying their life in some other way.

Ds2 is 14 and was up at 6.20am as usual, he has a light alarm and likes to keep the same schedule he has for school days as if he lies in on a weekend he feels dreadful in the week.

Ds1 is 17 and started doing a MAT past paper at 8.30am this morning in preparation for his uni entrance exam.

They both go to bed before 10pm on a weeknight voluntarily because they regulate their own sleep. Both children spend family time with us watching movies or tv shows and we talk about news topics too. Ds1 particularly likes MN, he finds the real life issues fascinating

You are 17, you’ll realise in about 10-15 years that parents talk from experience and are actually right. I never had any money growing up and the moment I could get credit I went nuts. My dad warned me and I was thinking ‘shut up! It’s only £5 a month in this card and £10 on this!’ Those were minimum payments, I got into £5k debt pretty fast. If I’d listened I might not have. Experience is more valuable than anything.

[quote sicklyparmaviolet]@EveryPlanetHasAYorkshire I love a pink wafer or a custard cream! What's yours?

Audreyseyebrows I'm keen to study something within the realm of social sciences - currently dipping between psychology, sociology and philosophy. I could also do something creative-writing related I suppose- I'm hoping to do a course with the OU so that fortunately gives me a little more time to decide as their deadlines are a lot later![/quote]
Mine is a Tesco dark chocolate digestive or an Aldi cookies and cream.

@pastandpresent

I can't imagine any real teenager communicating early(relatively) Saturday morning via parental site with bunch of middle aged people. They should be sleeping or enjoying their life in some other way.

Teens being night owls rising by the crack of noon is quite normal in my book .

OP if at all possible, I hope you don't have children too soon. Get an education, a job, enjoy life. You know even 25 is young .

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander I think Brexit is shit, honestly. I'm fortunate enough to be able to apply for citizenship in another European country due to my parents so I won't have AS many issues as other people, but I still think it's totally shit. I do definitely feel like it was an issue decided without my generation, and I think if we had had a voice, there would be a much different result, truthfully.

@AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit The first song I remember hearing was I think actually "New York Minute" by Eagles (but that's not really representative of my generation as that's my parents' music taste). The No1 song in the charts on my birthday was "Bump, Bump, Bump" by b2k and PDiddy I think - I remember reading that somewhere .

@ssd Yes, I'm a girl haha!

@pastandpresent To be fair, I went to sleep late and slept in late, which is usually what I do unless I have college.

@TweeterandtheMonkeyman My relationship with my parents broke down on it's own, my partner was just fortunate enough to be able to help me out of the situation. He's 20, so not an especially big gap if that's what you're wondering.

@BashfulClam There are definitely some things I'll agree with my parents on and somethings I'll disagree. I don't have the view that they're overall terrible people, but I'm aware they made some bigger mistakes that I will be doing everything to avoid. In relation to money though, I think I have a relatively healthy approach? I'm probably in overdraft too much but working on a budget now honestly.

@giantangryrooster I won't have kids instantly, but I do see them coming up along the pipeline (probs sooner than most women but nothing crazy). Having a family is a priority for me, but I'd like to get a degree and do some other things first.

I’m impressed. I think its Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. I asked someone at work and they thought it was something to do with the US, the USSR’s arch-enemy.

Never mind all this, what music do you losten

@Nomnomarrgh I've heard a little about the USSR I think (probably in history when I went to school) but I actually know very little about it. Then again, I do have quite big gaps when it comes to history - there's so much to know!

@RJnomore1 Honestly I listen to a bit of everything. Right now I'm in a Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette groove, but I also like more typical stuff - I really like Joji's music (though I'm not sure he'd be popular on here). The 1975 are one of the bands I really like that kind of count as modern music. I listen to quite a bit of Fleetwood Mac too, so I'd say I have quite general music tastes x

Whereabouts is your moral compass?

Have you ever stolen anything, even something small like on the way home from school a packet of Starbursts lifted into your pocket? If you could commit a crime that enriched you, such as fraud, but nobody would you do it?

If Putin invaded eastern Europe and progressed westwards would you be prepared to join up and fight, knowing you might die, in order to protect the lives and livelihoods of those you do not know?

but nobody would know, I meant to type.

@antonov Hi there- thanks for the interesting questons!

I remember being about two and stealing a toy car from a shop and then being massively underwhelmed that my Dad hadn't noticed (so I showed him it). We left it on the side of the road I think. I also remember being three and stealing a bracelet that I liked on my last day of pre-nursery before I moved country.

As for stealing of any other kind, not really - I've probably nicked a few things from family members or friends over the years, but I don't think I'd properly steal anything. I think the cost of guilt is often more than the cost of the item itself, but that's not a moral judgement on anywhere else.

I wouldn't commit a crime like fraud, or anything solely to make my life better. I'm not particularly money-focused and so I'd rather have a moderate income with no risk than a high income with the risk of prison. I guess I also like the idea of building a life with my partner, rather than kind of cheating to get one.

I think I probably wouldn't sign up, but only because my disability means I would struggle and not be very helpful in any kind of army environment. If it were for protection of my loved ones, I would definitely die though. I'd also probably defend other people if there were ever a situation where the area I lived in were being attacked.

Thanks for the great questions! Really interesting way to assess moral convictions :) x

** I've just realised you wrote that no-one would know if I committed fraud or something similar. I'd still say no, because I think it would way heavily on my moral conscience and I wouldn't want to take things away from people who may need it more/ had worked for it.