AIBU? I don't like teenagers....

[MrsTonySoprano]

Lord help me for this, I know I'm in for a flaming and I AM old but....

The more I see of them the more I can't stand them. They are (and I generalise here) rude, swear in public places as a matter of making conversation, the girls are plastered in makeup with over processed hair, they Twitter about how hard life is cause they have to get out of bed and go to school, they do nothing around the house, think everyone owes them, feel allowances should be made for nasty behaviour because they're teenagers (??). Push past you in the street and then say "WELL EXCUSE MEEEE" like you did something wrong. One I know well, talks with friends about anyone they don't like being like "a special needs kid" and "mong".

Oh God. Rant over. I just don't like them. And I'm about to have one of my own next year!

Actually, just realised the club has uploaded our recent promo video, but I can't do linkies.
Have a search for Waggy Tails Club on youtube. Go on, we've only had 70 views and there are cute dogs too.

I was standing at a Remembrance Day Ceremonies previous weekend, about 40 ATC teens in perfect dress & discipline, that's not counting the sea of Sea Scouts & SJA Cadets participating in the event. All part of the parade and ceremonies & attending the church service with perfect respect. The teenagers probably outnumbered other age groups by 2-to-1. DS (Sea Scout) has been doing lots of work on his community badge, too (lots of public good works to do).

But you don't hear on the news about teens doing all that, do you? There must be something about doing good that turns teens invisible, I reckon.

Once you have one of your own you will see things differently. They are often hilarious, together with many other great attributes, in my experience.

Springlamb !! Dd helps a family with three special needs children and I am constantly showered in praise from their mum. DD is an angel!!! Not so at school and home but hey Ho!

I'd rather she was a pain for me

Kind of harsh OP, I am 17 and do not behave like the description you have written. Don't judge us all. Sometimes elderly people are worse than us with the swear/pushing/moaning.

swearing

YABU.

Teenagers, like adults and children, are just people. Some are lovely, some are horrid, some are somewhere in the middle. Don't lump them all together just because of their age - would you say that about a group of people with a skin colour in common?

Agree with the OP who said about the ostentatious squealing and hugging - what is that about?!
In my day, there was NO physical contact between teenage friends

Teenagers are my favourite people! They are so funny and interesting.

I teach so many teenagers and I love them - I know them and they are funny, interesting, challenging and charming as well as temperamental and stroppy!

But I think teenagers you don't know can be scary if they are in a big group so I have some sympathy for how you feel.

YABU because it sounds like you don't know many really, of course the once that bump into you in the street are the ones who you will notice, you wont be noticing the quiet polite ones sitting in a corner in costa will you? there are as many obnoxious loud teens as obnoxious buggy "drivers" and rude old people. but if you get to KNOW teenagers then I think on average they are fantastic and every day was rewarding when I worked with them, more so than when I worked with adults or the elderly.

ragged You have said exactly what I was thinking. Went to a Remembrance Day parade and there were hundreds of teenagers in cadet uniforms all perfectly behaved and respectful.
But I am also very aware that I see boys' underpants on display every time I walk up the High Street in the local town. What a crass fashion!

I think that when people think they want a baby it is going to be a very short time and they will have a teenager for much longer! When you get there, you find that they are perfectly nice.

Hmm, bit of a generalisation from the OP I think.

When I think back to when my DC were little, I know that a teenager was far more likely to hold a door/help with pram down steps etc than an older person - had numerous occasions of doors being left to slam on me/pram/ bub in sling from on older person.

Used to teach teenagers. Individually they were all delightful. Occasionally the pack mentality in class could get a little ,,,, lively, but they were lovely, really.

Has anyone trotted out the 'yoof of today are awful' stuff from ancient Greek literature yet?

snapeshifter brilliant!!!!

i have three teens - one was just angelic - the other two WILL grow out of it but living with teenagers in todays society is ime very very trying

Swimming against a tide....

I had a bit of a 'do' with my DS1 when he his his teens. it was my first experience of them close up and it really put me off.

My DD was 14 when she died and had been ill for two years so during her teens we were closer than close. She didnt get a chance to be infuriating. She was too busy being fucking amazing.

Anyhoo. During the time my DS was kicking off I would look at other teen in the street a bit like this . I was projecting my issues on to ALL of the little bleeders.

But I soon began to see that teens are funny, mad, clever, kind, infuriating and very interesting given the chance.

They are not my 'thing' exactly. I get on much better with very young children and to be honest I still find it hard to be around teenage girls, its a bit painful.

A couple of years ago I used to say I would neve work with teens but now I think I would like to.

I think we find them difficult because they look like adults but still behave in a childish way so we see them as selfish adults. They are not, they are teenagers with all that entails.

And its stereotypical views of teeenagers like that in the OP that is the cause of so many of the problems we have today with teenagers IMO.

In my voluntary work I work with teenagers and most I have met are the polar opposite of what is described in the OP. They are a pleasure to work with, keen and enthusiastic and generally great people!

Yanbu.

YABU.

I have one of my own...and many teen relatives.

LOVE them ...I wish I had realized what teens were really like when I was one.

Would have made life a lot easier.

yes every single teenager behaves like that.

lequeen - i have said before you have some lovely spectacles re teens but they are rose tinted ...no really!