I am in total shock!

[Wavingnotdowning]

My son rang me for a chat earlier and said he was sorry he couldn't stay on the phone for long as they had friends coming over for dinner and he hadn't hoovered the stairs yet!
He has grown up, and has a lovely partner. I must have done a reasonable job after all.
How did you know when yours had really changed into adults?

Sadly we lost 3 ddogs last year.. Each time both ds's (24+21) rocked up with huge bunches of flowers. The younger one even brought a big box of biscuits so we could all have a cuppa and talk about the ddogs...
Would have cried had I any tears left...

My adult sons are quite domesticated. Cooking, cleaning, childcare. Eldest spent a long stint jn the Armed forces so he learnt to keep things tidy from a young age 😀

My 20 yo ds sent me a parcel of presents for my birthday from the other side of the world. Considering how disorganised he is I was very impressed!

Got a message from our 13 yr old when we were out with photo of a pile of clothes
“started raining so brought the washing in”

UNPROMPTED

was considering getting a paternity test!

That’s lovely, as are the other stories! My 14 year old son (youngest) has shown a key interest in cooking and learning my recipes/meals. I bought him a blank recipe book for Xmas and it’s been lovely to see him choosing to fill it in with the dinners I cook for us as I teach him the methods etc.

When my son was young he hated going to DIY stores.
Now he says Wickes is his favourite shop 😂

I’m looking forward to finding out as next month ds moves into the house he and his girlfriend have bought 😂😂

These are all lovely to read! It is a very weird but lovely thing when you realise they're basically self-sufficient and can probably run the house without you.

My DS is 18 and when I go away for a few days he tells me how he loves doing his own washing and loading the dryer up. He cooks from scratch for his partner who stays over and runs the hoover round before I come back. It is always spotless 🙂

My DD has recently moved back, with her partner. When I was sorting laundry I asked if they had any and he said - it’s okay, I’ll do it on my day off. Then on shrove Tuesday he made pancakes with bacon for DD’s breakfast.

When my dd texted from her student digs asking me how to cook kale.😂

another student son; called from shared house he’d chosen for himself & on behalf of 3 other trusting friends, & told me he’d just bought a really good sized stock pot at a knock down price from tkmaxx! I could barely draw breath to answer! then told me he’d often watched me making stock & taking left over meat from chicken carcass😉.

When my daughter messaged me to complain about her flatmate not sorting out her recycling correctly and leaving rubbish in her room. DD’s bedroom had looked like landfill for years so I was astounded….and relieved 😆

My son left home at18 to take up an apprenticeship. Tge first Christmas he was away he asked for an iron.

I can so relate. Was driving near DS Uni City (about 150 miles away) so arranged to drop in and see him. When I walked into his tiny halls room, it smelt lovely and was all clean and tidy. This is NOT the DS I know... He explained that he had just stripped the bed, changed the linin, put a clothes wash on and cleaned down all the surfaces using Lavender Method because it 'smells like home'.

He then spent quite a while explaining to me that whilst Method was expensive, he keeps an eye out for when its reduced and that actually it goes a long way and is more effective than some of the cheaper brands. I just sat there with my mouth open listening to my Pizza eating, Xbox playing, dirty sock discarding, eighteen year old, waxing on about cleaning products.

I knew I had done a good job when my DS became aware that an explicit video of a girl in his 6th form was being circulated by a guy in a band he was in. He spoke to the other band members, they kicked the guy out of the band then my son contacted the girl and said he would give evidence to the police and support her if she reported it.

I have never been more proud of him when he gave evidence and the female police officer told me he was an exceptional young man and I must have done a good job.

I love that. He sounds grown up already. Ds1 was like that.

Ours asked me to get him some new filters for his hoover!

I think this natural to revert to child mode when you return to your parents, provided they are fit and well.I know my siblings and I did well into our 40’s!

You’ve just described my eldest! Incredibly competent adult when at uni, reverts to helpless 10 year old when at home

Ironing. He’s 16 and irons his clothes every single day before college. He also recently - when we had some paint delivered - mentioned that he has Mondays off college and asked if I would like some help. Offers to do the cooking often - though I haven’t taken him up on it yet.

Also had a family member recently mention that they had bumped into him when they were out and he stopped and asked how their day was going and same family member commented that none of the other kids in the family (his cousins etc) ever do the same - always being told how polite he is to people. Very impressed also that he and his friends do a ‘bro check’ if they haven’t heard from each other in a few days

He often asks me for advice with his girlfriend (learning how to develop healthy relationship type of things) He’s going to be such a good husband one day.

Or his partner got sick of his slovenly ways and read him the riot act ...

Really no need. This is a lovely thread and if you haven't got anything pleasant to contribute please go away.

Yes, I’ve just been to stay with my DS. He served home made pesto over broccoli and leeks, topped with crispy chicken. Delicious and healthy.

Flat is gorgeous and immaculate. He loves his houseplants and crocheting!
We walked in the park, he bought croissants and coffee in the park cafe.

As a single parent (working full time when they were teens) my DS’s were all brought up to cook, clean, shop, buy gifts, wash/iron etc. All part of our family life.

Not quite the same as my dd is only 11, but along the same lines, I was so proud to realise at Christmas just how kind she is. I mean, I always knew, but this was lovely. She saved up her pocket money for two months to be able to buy little Christmas gifts for her six friends. Inexpensive but all carefully thought out and she even got little individual gift bags to put them in. Then we went out on Christmas Eve to hand deliver them all. Gave me a nice warm glow.

This is giving me hope because at the moment my 13 year old son has not only regressed to toddler levels of mess he also only really not communicates in grunts, heavy sighs and eye rolls. I also know that when the school inevitably call me again next term, it most likely wont be to tell me what a well behaved child he is being. DEEP BREATHS.

You must be so pleased OP, you did a great job.