Teenage boys are great

[CrocsNotDocs]

They just are. They are like enormous Labrador puppies with gangly uncoordinated bodies and huge feet.

I love watching my son and his mates interact. They have this innate sense of fairness and decency and half the time they are little boys and the other half, something caught between boys and men. If you can surreptitiously listen to them, they will be big noting, exaggerating and bullshitting about all the great dangerous and fantastic things they will be doing until one of them looks at his enormous feet and reminds the others that they will have to ask their mum before partaking in whatever grand endeavour they have planned . Silence will follow in deference to the higher authority.

They smell and are kind and can lift incredibly heavy things. Their jokes are stupid and glorious and they laugh so loud. I love how their shoulders broaden overnight and they get hairy and awkward. I love how they are terrified of girls and then suddenly they aren’t.

They get a bad rap but the ones I know are just fab.

Totally agree. DS is 14 now and absolutely wonderful. Loves board games, still wants to be associated with us(!), secretly enjoyed watching Wicked even though he pretended he was only going to indulge his younger sister. I wish he’d take better care of his skin, but that’s why he’s got a mother to nag him to wash his face. I love the absolute bones of him, he’s a joy, and I’m so glad I had a boy and get to see the man he is becoming.

Wonderful thread, so accurate and aligns in so many ways with my two, 15 and 19 years and so proud to be their mother.

Agreed. Mine are 17 and 19. This is probably my favourite age since they were under 5. They are both good company, caring and fun to be around and give the best hugs.

What a lovely thread OP!
I had girls, but acquired lots of grandsons, now teenagers. This Christmas I am surrounded by them. They are kind, thoughtful, good-mannered, helpful, playful ..... I have been quite ill this year and life has been a struggle. They are one step ahead in helping me in every way, offering to lift things, fetching things so I don't have to go up the stairs, making sure I have what I need. They are a delight... charming and funny.
I am sure there are times when they are a pain in the arse, but I see the best of them and feel surrounded by their love.

I have no sons, only daughters, two of whom are teens.

The adult years are going to be great

I’ve got three sons and five grandsons here. Has any one got any leftovers they don’t need? 🤣
They are and have been honest, loyal, affectionate, annoying, loud they are the things I’m most proud of.

Agreed.

Mines 20 now so no longer officially a teen!

But I've watched his generation and they really give me hope for the future.

Ime they are so respectful, helpful and kind. They are smart and funny. They are hardworking and very fair.

Aww this thread is bloody lovely.

I have 4 of them and they're all weird and wonderful in their own special way.
They're incredibly close and hearing/watching them all together is just my favourite thing in the world.

I adore mine, they are ao kind and thoughtful and love their mum. What a lovely thread.

I have a toddler, and as such have been around the local park full of teen boys a lot in the past 18m.

The teenage boys there were always lovely when I was pregnant, and now they're lovely to my son. Making each other be careful around him, lending him things when he toddlers over to play and showing him how to use them.

The one I know is my DD boyfriend- they're both 18. They have a similar sense of humour and because she's mine and my DHs DD - we all share a similar sense of humour. Daft jokes, fart laughs and dark humour. He's pretty awesome as teen boys go but I won't tell him that ..

Ha... Your ds would be described in my native north east as knowing the square root of a jar of pickles but can't get the lid off!

My lad is a young teen but noted he was very Labrador like yesterday. He's a sweetheart.

What a lovely post - I hope mine grows up to be one of these!

Wow! What an amazing thread. Yes, I couldn’t agree more. I often think about them being like big, bounding Labradors. I feel proud of them every day. There are three of them that come around every day before school. On Fridays my husband makes them all bacon sandwiches, he's never missed a week in 4 years. They are always so polite and grateful and the conversations between themselves are hilarious.
I remember a quote, on here, from around 17 years ago. It’s talked of SMOGS and DMOBS. Now, bear in mind it was tongue in cheek and they were talking about mothers with pre-school/early Infant school children…
SMOGS Smug Mothers Of Girls “My daughter will sit for hours crafting and playing gently with her toys, it must be so hard only having boys and knowing you won’t have that connection growing up” actually, that was a direct quote.

DMOBS Defensive Mothers Of Boys. “My boy/s are actually fantastic. Yes they are a massive source of chaos, noise and mess right now (gazing at them at a Birthday Party) but they are great.”

I still get the “it must be so sad to only have boys”. To which I just smile, knowing I am now a SMOB.

Love this thread! My DS is 13 and he's a delight. Getting a bit cheekier, hairier and smellier,, but honestly a delight. Hard-working, caring, kind, goofy - and SO funny. We have such a lovely bond and I also like seeing him with his friends. They are such lovely boys and have a wonderful friendship 💜

My DS age 17 is my pride and joy. He is kind, hilarious, and idealistic. He eats the hugest amount (he plays elite sport so needs a lot of calories) and isn't great at sitting still, so yes, very Labrador. My fear is the message that he and other teenage boys get is that they are a problem, a danger, something bad in the world to be managed. I feel like schools often perpetuate this, from the time of primary where teachers and girls talk about 'the naughty boys' (to mean the vast majority of boys, as they tend to be a bit louder and move more than girls) in a way they'd never talk about 'the naughty girls'. In secondary my son had a perfect behaviour record and was described to me by his form tutor as 'the gold standard in respectful behaviour'; he also had very decent grades and an interest in the arts. But he was never chosen for the extra investment academically or in the arts given to others as I think he was just seen as 'a sporty boy' and so there were assumptions about his abilities and interests. He exceeded all his predicted grades at GCSE without the substantial extra support given to chosen girls and non-laddy boys. It was also interesting to observe what the school clamped down on and what they let slide - a momentary scrap between two boys over football at lunch would be a serious issue even though the boys were back to being friends within minutes, but terrible bullying of a girl by other girls (the popular, 'nice' girls) that resulted in the girl trying to take her own life to my knowledge resulted in absolutely nothing. Essentially throughout primary and secondary school there were just a lot of messages to boys who appeared particularly stereotypically 'male' that they were an issue, just by their very nature. I'm a huge feminist, I want to tackle the entrenched misogyny and violence against women . . . but I don't think that making young men feel bad about themselves is the answer.

I was walking back from the park the other day with youngest dd in her push chair, down a quiet side road. A group of teen boys approaching my side of the pavement. Without hesitating they all moved into the road (v quiet no cars around) so we could get by, one even smiled and nodded at me. People do that all the time but I thought it was sweet a group of lads engrossed in conversation did. They were also chatting about ideas for Christmas presents which I thought was sweet.

I have two ds’ who are young primary age they’re very cute now I hope that continues!

My 19 is wonderful and always has been. He's very kind, thoughtful, polite, respectful and very loving. He's an incredible person. He, adores his Nan. Ww are really close (me dh abd ds) and I get hugged multiple times daily and a kiss/hug at night.

Love this

i don’t have teenage boys just yet but my two aren’t far off

I have two wonderful, wonderful teen DDs...but this thread is making me envious (in a heart warming, not bitter way!!). I'd love a teen DS too.

I absolutely ADORE my boy.

This is a lovely thread. My DS is almost 13 and has grown extremely tall and hairy seemingly overnight. He has giant feet and is super skinny. He and his friends are a lovely bunch. Your description of them talking all the talk and then saying they need to ask their mums is spot on!

On Christmas Eve, I met my friend at an inflatable park with our kids. I watched my DS repeatedly help a little toddler who couldn’t get up the first step. It was lovely to see - I think teen boys really can get a bad rap when actually so many of them are kind and thoughtful

DS is funny, kind, good at science, maths and football. He is very particular about his fringe, he sprays lynx liberally, he loves his x box and he is just brilliant. I’m looking forward to his teenage years although dreading the going out and drinking!

I agree! Mine are 18 and 16 and just the best ever. I woke up to some lovely presents and cards yesterday, fully co-ordinated by DS 16 as DS 18 has ALN and needs a bit of help, with some beautiful messages in cards. Lots of hugs and time spent together. They are the best!

I never imagined myself having boys but now I have two (2nd arrived yesterday!) and I can’t wait to see all the fun we’ll have. It’s been great having 1 and everyone I know with more than one boy says what a joy it is.

The fabulous head teacher of my son’s high school finished his Christmas newsletter by sharing a conversation he had with one of the teenage boys there and my husband and I laughed out loud. It sums them up perfectly:

Him: “Sir, listen, I know I’m on your list.”
Me: “What list?”
Him: “The list. For getting kicked out.” (to be 100% clear, I have no such list)
Me: “Ah, the list!” (there really is no list)
Him (holding his hand out to shake mine): “I’m telling you sir, I’m gonna sort it. You’ll see. I’m
gonna smash it next term.”
Me: “Brilliant. How?”
Him: “Not sure yet sir, but you’ll see.” Skips off into the distance spraying himself with after-shave.