Is it normal to get on with 13 year olds this well?

[Lifeislifenanananana]

Just wondering if i’m a bit immature..!

Dn is 13 and if i’m round at Dsis house and she’s there with her friends, we often have some great conversations. They’re funny and interesting to talk to, of course there are some points where I inwardly roll my eyes and it highlights their age, but mainly I enjoy their company and it makes a change from talk about mortgages, politics, food shopping and so on. It reminds me how my friends and I used to be in our teens and i’m quite envious, is this weird?

I hope I can feel this with my own Dd in years to come.

I’m definitely not like this! 😬

Having spent several years teaching teens I have to admit that there is something a bit odd about adults who prefer their company to that of other adults. In fact there is something odd, childish and immature about adults who don’t like adult company. I’m glad now that for many years i haven’t had to deal with teenage dramas.

In fairness, all teens are ok with relatives. It’s their parents who get the flak!

Not at all, as a teacher I've always loved hearing the world from their viewpoints. So innocent and devoid of the adult world, just genuine chat.

All part of growing up, curiosity, personalities developing. At times I've been in awe of what some have said, other times yes the eye roll.

As adults we are here to guide them amd also to encourage confidence to let them aspire to what they want to be. Xxx

I don’t think teenagers are hard to get on with if you meet them where they are and try not to be ‘cool’. They’re just people. I always got on with my own 3 (streetwise) teenagers and I’m a fat middle aged Christian! I always respected their lives and treated them like mini adults with their own agency. I think if you tread a non judgemental but principled line, they respect you. YANBU.

The teen/young adult stage is very interesting developmentally. I often have teens and young adults coming to me for chats and advice, including my own. I don't do anything special. Just be accepting and talk to them like ordinary people.

Not weird at all, teenagers can be very fun and interesting. Youth workers and secondary school teachers/pastoral support will be full of people who got on well with teens.

IMHE 13 year olds are brilliant, they are a brilliant combination of opinions, wittiness and still wanting to be looked after and included in activities, even if they are a bit ‘babyish’ for them. They kind of can’t decide if they want to be adults or children at this age and I am here for it as I think it’s the best of all worlds TBH. I just hate how self conscious they can sometimes be for them, but remember being the same at that age too. They have so much to give the world and I just hope they don’t lose that spark.