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.

Nomination for classics @MNHQ?

We need that story you realise? 😂

And all the wonderful things having 10 teens boys must have bought!

I get it. I've mentioned my ds upthread. He recoils from any physical contact, has a couple of friends he talks to in school, but never bothered to see outside,and I worry he's going to be a loner his whole life. I'd love to have had a house full of bouncy teenagers, but that's never going to happen.

I would add that they also have the Labrador appetite too, probably need it with the boundless energy, until well exercised and then they flop on the sofa!

Aww huge huge congratulations 🎊
Christmas days in your house will be mental chaos forever more!!

@EarthlyNightshade xxx keep on being present and actively interested and involved in their life. The fact you posted shows you love and care.

Mine is all kindness and emotional intelligence. Very affectionate, very fair and afraid of nothing.

Now, don’t ask me about his bedroom. I’m choosing my own battles.

Mine is awesome and so are most of his friends.
They are so funny and derpy but then really smart, They take the piss out of each other but are incredibly supportive of eachother too.
Even when he is being an arse I never doubt that he loves me and isn't afraid to tell me in front of anyone. He's becoming a man but is still a boy too and sometimes doesn't know which to be.
I feel so lucky he's mine.

thet are great, as are teenage girls- they all get given too many looks, they’re a really nice generation

Mine are just approaching teenage boyhood and this thread is so lovely to read.

Last summer I was taking an evening walk on my local beach and walked past four lads of about 15 or 16 enjoying a sneaky lager and a joint around a beach bonfire and blasting Dire Straits from a speaker while chatting animatedly about the sunset and school and the world in general. They all waved cheerily at me as I went past and I remember thinking ‘i hope my DC have these lovely moments when they’re teenagers’

I love this description of them! Spot on

As a mum of two fantastic boys who I couldn't love more, a massive thank you to all you gorgeous lot for sharing about your wonderful teen boys. So much to look forward to!

I think there is a lot for us to look forward to.

I think a lot of us have seen toxic male behaviour and we have made an extra effort with our sons.

I think the up and coming generation of men will be different, because of our efforts.

What a lovely thread. 😭 My twin boys are ten months old, sometimes I am worried about all the stages to come but this has made me feel like there will be so much joy, too!

My hardest season with my teen was around age 12-14 when they pull back, im extremely embarrassing to them, they are secretive, wont talk. We have a lovely relationship now but just give them space and time and be there as hard as that is, keep including them, asking how they are, tell them you love them, keep hugging its all a bit jekyl and hyde moods and they will come out the other side. Now i feel he sees me as a person they can go too when they dont know what to do and i wont go mental if they made a bad choice and are in a mess, they take my advice and we can have a normal adult conversation. Its great. Hes great and im loving seeing him grow up x

The best thread. All I ever wanted was a girl....but wouldn't change my boys for the world. They're hilarious, empathetic, lollopy, kind, great with other children and genuinely good fun to be around. Whereas most of my friends have girls and I have to say I often feel a bit intimidated around them! My boys and their friends are never judgey....just laid back and good natured goof balls. Who need regular running and many many meals a day or you know about it!!!

Mine is 13 and after a bumpy landing in to puberty is just starting to come back - seeing his smiley little face (towering over me!) has a bajillion per cent made my Christmas this year

I read a thing recently that said, parenting a teenager is a bit surreal sometimes because you'll be sitting there and some dude who is taller than you will come round the corner and ask you how to open a bag of popcorn. Made me smile.

My 16 yr old is one of my favourite people to spend time with. He's so calm and kind, and funny and just a generous soul. I feel very lucky that he still wants to hang out with me. And his sisters genuinely have no idea how lucky they are to have him. He's a great role model and a gorgeous person.

Aww I have a 4 year old son and I am loving reading all of this. I hope my boy turns out this great ❤️

Yes it is bizarre when suddenly your squishy little velcro baby is 6ft with stubble and cuddles involve you being swamped by HUGE arms and shoulders and a smell of Lynx Africa.

My nephews are 14 and 16. They're funny, smart, clever, treat my sister and their Dad pretty well and have a good mixture of male and female friends. They're not too smelly, not overly moody and all round pretty decent kids.
I don't see much of them, but proud of my sister (and her husband) for raising 2 decent young men.

This is a brilliant thread. My teen is very resilient, hard working and humble. I am concerned that his younger brother is becoming too sedentary and lazy, and as he has a health condition which could be exacerbated by being overweight or unfit, this could be problematic if it persists.
The teen is taking little one out for a big brother bike ride today, with the intention of making it fun!

Great post.
I have 2 teenage boys who drive me crazy but equally turn up trumps when I need them to. They are clumsy, crazy and some weird interests.

I also work with some very challenging teenage boys and they are some of the funniest, cleverest and thought provoking people I have met.

My 17-year-old engineering student has just woken me up to ask if he can use the toilet 'while it's blue' - apparently the concept of toilet cleaner is new to him! 😆❤️

We have 2 grown up sons and thinking back they were quite like our labs. The gangly legs and paws, the insatiable appetites, the constant grooming (or the need to remind teenagers to please shower), the wet dog smell 😂. The following me around the house when things were tough at times, the constant washing of floors/bedding/sports kits, the relentless recall training (remember and call me when your on your way home) are only a few.

Both are wonderful men now.