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.

What a fantastic thread. My 17 year old son is the Labrador you describe (if you get 6ft7 puppies). He eats as an Olympic sport, holds doors open for strangers , is frequently "borrowed" in shops by people wanting stuff from the top shelf and is totally oblivious as to why various girls bake cookies for him 🤦🏻‍♀️. I've also just found out that he has been using his pocket money to buy burgers and coffee for an old homeless man who hangs around the local cinema as "he was cold and hungry."

I have one labrador currently in the throws of puberty, complete with unending hunger 2 inch growth overnight, and the sweetest little fuzzy moustache, and the conversation has moved on from Minecraft to some world domination game - the adjustment to hearing his (adorably positive to each other) friends voices suddenly dropping to lower registers was hard though!

And one pre-teen boy who's more like a.cat who only wants to lounge on me, steal my seat on the settee and wear my jumpers/coats (stole my long wool coat the other day, I thought he actually looked so cute in it he should keep it)

They are both adorable in their own goofy ways, and I wouldn't change them for the world.

Once hed had his haircut they all made a big fuss of him and told him how fresh he looked 😅

That is so sweet

I'm a very fortunate pseudo-aunt to a load of teenage and young adult boys who almost always make an effort to see me during their school/ uni holidays. I also work with loads of teenagers.

They get bad press. I see so many small kindnesses and thoughtful behaviour. They are funny and generous and often thoughtful.

The two who live near the elderly family member I care for remotely are always amenable to sorting out her tech issues (I pay them for their time) and are happy to spend ages chatting to a slightly confused old lady who has lost the iplayer app on her TV (again).

Mornin' all.

Mine is more cat than labrador: aloof, loner, strong embarrassment drive, low empathy; high snark. He's great to watch TV with though.

I do admit I'm envious of friends with more sociable, straightforward boys. It's kind of what I thought I'd have.

I totally agree! My nearly 15 year old DS is a pain in the arse - ADHD, other additional needs thrown out of school, smokes weed in his room on occasion and I still think he is totally ace. He is the funniest person I've ever met and even though he never shuts up I love spending time with him. He's got such a good heart and it makes mine squeeze when I think about him struggling.

Oh and my giant puppy boy is so nice to little kids and they gravitate to him. Our friends 4 year old ADORES him and makes him do wrestling games when he comes round. So so sweet.

Oh and he even told me my hair looked nice yesterday!!

This thread has made my eyes wet. Mine can be a giant pain in the arse but has a brilliant banter-y relationship with his mates and I love hearing them laughing hysterically and taking the mick out of each other.

Labradors indeed!

I have to agree. I don't have any but Sat in front of a group at church who had got back together after the older two were at uni for a term. They were teasing each other to bellow "come all ye faithful" louder and bickering in a lovely labrador esq way! Such a joy!

YANBU OP. I have one, he's fab. Still working on teaching thoughtfulness, like toddlers, teens can sometimes be self centred, but we're getting there. He's kind, he's polite, he helps around the house with no promise of reward. He's great company, has a fab sense of humour, and is passionate about his hobbies and friends. Wouldn't swap him for the world! It makes me sad that he gets lumped in as a "horrible teenager" by strangers. Neither him nor his mates ever cause any bother. They are all of the same ilk.

Exactly this. Absolutely brilliant human beings, adore the bones of them and they me. Feel so lucky

I’m reading this holding my four month old baby boy, while his big brother goes to the park with grandad - thank you for making me even more excited to see who they become as they grow up, what a lovely thread!

Thank you for this thread, I completely agree. Boys in general get a bad press (so many women seem desperate for a girl), and teenage boys particularly vilified. But my now 20 year old is a giant softy and very caring. I love seeing all his friends, they are a great little gang and very loyal to each other.

Yes! This is my DS, who is 14, and his friends, and it's a joy to witness all of that.

Teen boys are the best. Teen DC home from Uni and just wants to chill on the sofa with us, eating chocolates and making cups of tea for me, and watching movies together.

Teen DC2 also loving sofa fest of choc and movies. I love how they delight in simple pleasures like a crispy roast potato. They both loved all their presents and snuggling up to them on the sofa is like having them back as toddlers again when our whole world was just us cuddled up watching a Disney movie and wishing time would stand still.

Oh, yes, the obliviousness to girls. I think the girls kind of enjoy it tbh, it seems like it's almost a game to see just how outrageously they can flirt before the boys take notice. (answer: very, very outrageously)

What a lovely thread!

Such a lovely thread - great to read postive things about young men!

Mine is 14 and an absolute joy (most of the time)
He gets moody and tired and does absolutely bugger all school work. But he's kind and thoughtful and helpful and makes me laugh out loud all the time.

Mine's only recently joined the teens and he's still great, so affectionate and makes me laugh all the time with his silly humour, like the other day he came with the idea that there should be a seafood truck called the Clambulance 😅

I wish my son had been like that. He was always grumpy and rude tbh. He moved out this weekend and whilst I should be feeling sad, I’m kind of grateful. I’ve had 22 years of crap, throughout school and now adulthood and I’m burnt out. He’s gone to his dad’s so his dad can deal with him for a bit 🤷‍♀️

What a wonderful thread! I completely agree. DS14 is rapidly heading for 6ft, puts his chin on my head and calls me 'my little Mummy', gets very enthusiastic and detailed about highly specific things like the exact recipe for the perfect cheese toastie (baby bells and tabasco if you're interested), has delightful friends who go gallumphing off to school together wearing lightweight coats in freezing temperatures, is a martial art black belt and so gentle with his little DSis who's only 8 and learning too, is sweet and patient with both his confused DGMs and a gentlemanly thug on the rugby pitch. He's very dyslexic and thinks he's thick but is so articulate and witty, very popular and an absolute goof in a group. When he wants something cheeky and outrageous he'll ask me, then hold eye contact, half smile and nod as if in wise agreement to make me say yes (it quite often works or makes me fall about laughing). Oblivious to how gorgeous he is and no idea what to say to girls. I love him so much it takes my breath away and I want to squeeze out every drop of time with him while he's with me before he goes off to whatever life adventures await.

I do think boys get a lot of bad press.

I have a girl and a boy. My son is like a large puppy. He's extremely empathetic and thoughtful, lacks any common sense but is a total joy. I'm missing him so much now he's started Uni.

I have a 12 year old and this made me tear up. Thank you.