To say that 16yr olds are too young THESE DAYS to make decisions

[Kattyy]

Mine went for a GP. I had arranged. You know that they are in charge of their medical health from when they're 16, right?
All he needed to do was to attend and pick up a precription. Came home with nothing... so frustrating! Really needed the prescription! At 16 they dont know their head from their ass...

All he needed to do was to attend and pick up a precription. Came home with nothing... so frustrating! Really needed the prescription

He's not mature enough. Is the prescription for him or is he picking one up for someone else whilst attending his own appointment?

Either way a prescription that is needed should not be entrusted to the hands of someone not reliable.

There are no generalisations about people of any age.
So yes yabu to make a sweeping statement.

Naah, is an ongoing prescrition, but first time he went on his own, as is 16! And totally responsible for his own medical wellbeing. So they say. I disagree.

I and most others my age were making and attending our own doctors' appointments from 14 onwards... maybe you need to ask your son why he is so apparently helpless.

Disquieted1

16 year olds have a completely different perspective on what is important. To us it might seem irresponsible, but to the 16 year old mind it is quite normal.

Thank you! That's exactly what I'm saying. He couldn't give a rat's ass.

And for what it's worth, I've only just turned 33 so you must be around my age to have a son of 16...

My 16 yo went to Peru to work in an orphanage for 2 months. he is currently 18 and travelling around Africa on his own, with money he earned.
Maybe take responsibility as a parent for how your children grow up.

Comoon guys, this not the point. Mine is helpless. If he had to keep track of his own passport expiry dates, dental appointments and school submissions- it would be chaos squared!

This is such an annoying generalisation. I work with young carers who, at age 12/13 and even younger, will be taking care of ill or addicted parents and younger siblings, running the house, doing the cooking, organising medical appointments and still going to school and taking exams. They are as representative of the youth of today as any feckless teen.

It is our job as parents to raise adults. If we baby them and overprotect them when they are young teenagers we can’t expect them to suddenly become responsible at some arbitrary age of 16/18/21. We have to help them develop their skills, often by allowing them to fail or screw up occasionally and letting them deal with the consequences.

And incompetence isn’t a new phenomenon or confined to youngsters . My aunt is in her 70s and has got by through her whole life by pretending to be a helpless little woman and letting other people run around her. It worked when she was 16 and it’s still working now.

Lol carpldecker, point taken! U get a fecking medal

Yes but he will have to keep track of them, not too far in the future.

He isn’t going to magically transform overnight.

@Katyy if your son is helpless, that's your problem. Don't take it out on other posters who have children of the same age who can cope without mummy there to hold their hand.

Well said thegreatcornholio

Yes, Loonoon, didnt wanna insult the young carers and as much as they are admirable am clearly not talking about them right now... hmmm just ur usual cottonwooled kid...

And dont even dare to jump on me and tell me that most of them aren't

So if you believe that 16 year olds aren't to be entrusted to access GP services by themselves? What exactly would you have done at 16 when you lived on your own OP?... Waited 2 years for an appointment?

Greatcornholio, dont even know how to respond to u. Perhaps, deal with anger. Ur on MY POST:))))

Perhaps deal with your son.

Eek, greatgorholio, u sound a bit aggressive. Wanna go and chill?

FlyingM, yeah, i dont know. Perhaps is just me? But think is just young? Naah, clearly wouldn't wanna make him wait.

My two were very up and down. Very independent in some ways, totally gobsmackingly dependent in others! And it wasn't even consistent. Very good at things like managing their own sexual health, but wanted me to come with them to GPs about other stuff. As for dental appointments, they just couldn't be arsed. Luckily, they both have strong teeth, or they'd have a mouth full of fillings by now! Both worked part time, very successful in their jobs, but constantly forgetting stuff and throwing strops at home.

It's a baffling time

just ur usual cottonwooled kid...

I don’t want to be rude Kattyy but, well you raised him. If he’s wrapped in cotton wool, it’s your responsibility to help him unwind it.

If he’s as lazy and disorganised as you say he’s not going to be motivated to sort himself out while Mummy is infantilising him.

Is he planning to go to college or uni? He’s going to be a nightmare flat mate at this rate.

More seriously he’s in danger of being one of these useless man child husbands MNers are always pulling their hair out over.

There’s very little attractive about a man who can’t take care of himself.

But he d come back with nothing anyway:)))

I'm perfectly chill.

Not agreeing with you =/= chill. Maybe AIBU isn't the board for you?

Ok, whoever thinks kids arent cottonwooled these days in london are kidding themselves. Sorry i dared to say it out loud.