Benefits of having teen boys

[MrBirling]

Does anyone else love having teenage sons. I am lucky enough to have two and they're so bloody useful. In the garden I put them to work lifting heavy stuff. We collected a car load of soil the other day and it took so little time to fill up the bags. Pop into b&q and all the heavy stuff gets loaded up. Last year we dismantled a shed which DH and I would never have managed alone.

Anyone else find them useful to have around despite the cost of food and the nagging to get homework done.

I have two boys and this thread is putting the biggest smile on my face!!

Mine are only 7 and 11 so a way off from being helpful big teenagers yet, but I can’t wait.

I can’t wait for them to start towering over me and giving me really tight cuddles as I imagine it will feel just as wonderful and protective as when my husband (their dad) bends down to cuddle me and wraps his long arms around me.

My boys are extremely loving and I pray to God they stay that way 🤣

My DS was great until he hit 16/17 and coincided with Covid, exams and first major romantic relationship. We had a bumpy three years but since he turned 20 (he’s 21) he’s so much better, just seems to have sorted a few things out in his head (his dad died when he was small so it’s been tough).
Very useful for the heavy stuff that’s true!

I remember my mother asking my brother to mow our lawn with the hand mower she had always used and struggled with. She looked out of the window to see him doing it one handed reading a book! She never mowed the lawn again….

My oldest made me lunch yesterday, writes lovely cards and has great friends - they are all absolutely lovely, are a pleasure to have around and are all really sweet with his younger (probably slightly annoying) brother,. If I see them around they say hello and sometimes stop for a small chat.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5313331-to-think-all-men-are-pervy-some-just-hide-it-better-than-others

And there we go. One of a regular men hating threads has popped up again.

This Benefits of teenage boys, thread is a far healthier and enjoyable read ❤️. Let's keep it going....

Mine is 13 and sometimes says "Mummy I'm making a fresh pot of tea. Would you like a cup?"

I was on a busy train last night and a group of lads of various teen ages got on- some 13/14 the older ones probably 17/18. They were dressed as if they'd just done sports training. One of the younger ones sat down in the last seat, then an older one gestured at him and he vacated it for an older lady in work uniform who'd just got on. She thanked him and he said 'no, it's all right, you need to sit down when you've been at work all day' 🤩

The kids are all right!

My 14 yo ds is lovely, helps me out with some of the heavy lifting when dh is away. When my dd came back from uni recently he carried her suitcase up the train station steps. And later up to her room.

In return I spend a bit of time throwing a vortex at him in the garden and playing a quick game of basketball.

The ONLy thing I regret with my lovely teen boy is that his big sister doesn't see him like I do.
He always worshipped her and I think still does deep down but she doen't feel the same sadly, makes me really upset.
They are just very different, he is loud, messy, chaotic etc and she is the opposite. He tries to connect with her and while she is polite and not actively mean to him she mostly ignores him (and rolls her eyes a lot)
Maybe as he gets older and calms down she will see the lovely young man I do

agreed! My teen boys - 19 and 15 - are just the best. Loving, chilled out and all round great boys

I had a lovely time yesterday shopping for clothes and having lunch with my 14 year old DS. I was thinking how it’s meant to be something people want to have a daughter for, to have girly shopping trips, but we had a great time.

Handy if you live on your own as a second pair of hands can be useful for shifting furniture going into the attic etc.

Though teenage girls could do that too.

Of course, if they are helpful that is fine but some would not look up from their computer games!!!

Most useful for opening the prosecco when I can't 🍾😂🥂

Three men now but still useful, one is really tall and flexible so reaches things that others never could height wise or in tight spaces. One was into weight lifting when a teenager, I would shout muscles required and he'd come running, still jokingly call him Muscles when I need something heavy moving despite him being mid 30s now, he was also really into lego when young and i discovered when he was about 10 that he could do flat pack furniture...........they love the praise it gets them, good for their self esteem💙

Mine is also lovely. He’s 18 but has always been an old soul and got on better with older kids and adults.

he’s great with opening jars, getting stuff from high shelves (although I am not short myself) and generally a good one.

He loves history and politics like I do and comes to the work quiz night as he enjoys it and chats away with my colleagues some of them 40 years older than him.

Mine turned 13 a couple of months ago and he's awesome. I've just spent 6 weeks recovering from surgery and between him and DH I haven't had to lift a finger - there's been this gangling creature made almost entirely out of knees and elbows gently shuffling me out of the way if I've even looked at something heavy or tried to do anything awkward. He's funny, interested in the world and how it works, great with younger kids. He's the de facto babysitter for other kids at a hobby group we belong to and it's like he has a fan club.

Oh, yes how could I forget their tech wizardry. I'm hopeless at ICT.

And for those who might be struggling with their teen boys I want to offer some hope. Ds2 was a teenage nightmare, and I had many sleepless nights and shed many tears. But he grew out of it, sorted his life out, and totally turned things around. He's now a radiographer specialising in radiotherapy, he's very respected at work and very popular with his team. He has lots of hobbies and is very happy. I couldn't be prouder.

My 19 year old is so kind and loving towards his little sister who’s 10 years younger. He’s picked her up from after school club when I’ve been stuck in traffic jams. He’s very protective of her and in awe of how clever she is. He’s very pro-women and girls and just generally a lovely thoughtful lad.

That’s so lovely.
My elder boys are the same with their little Bro.