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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

I'm fed up of being a nag so I have a plan.

15 replies

snowedinthesticks · 16/12/2010 17:14

Remember those sticker charts you did when they were toddlers. A sticker for staying in bed or getting dressed nicely without fuss?

I'm reinstating the sticker chart in reverse because my lovely but lazy boys are getting worse. I hate nagging and often it's easier to do it yourself but that doesn't teach them good habits. They will happily do chores when asked but it's the general slobbishness which is driving me nuts.

I have given them this;

House Training
There will now be a sticker chart in reverse.
For every five stars the culprit will lose 1 computer slot of my choice.
Shoes not put away. They should be put on a shelf unless they are wet and need to be dried.

Clothes dropped. No socks, pants, school clothes or any other clothes to be dropped on the floor .Dirty clothes must be put in the wash basket. Not in any other place. Clothes which can be worn again must be put on a chair in your bedroom. Don?t put stuff in the wash if it?s only been worn once except for school shirts.
Dressing gowns. Hang in bedroom unless being worn.

Towels must be hung on the proper towel rail after use.

Dirty tissues. Put in your pocket, up your sleeve or in the bin. Nowhere else is acceptable. Next to the bin does not count as in the bin.

School bags. Unpack and hang up coats and empty lunch boxes as soon as you come in from school. Put bag away, next to the book shelves or hang up if no school the next day. Put PE kit away. 

Tidy bed and open curtains every morning when you get up.

Toilet. If I have to flush or scrub before I use the toilet there will be one star each unless someone owns up. 

DS2 greeted this with cries of "it's not fair"
DS1 who is very motivated to win said "no problem there will be no stars on my chart."

What do you think?Wink

OP posts:
vintageteacups · 16/12/2010 17:31

Love it! I'm going to print this off for when my two get there Grin

snowedinthesticks · 16/12/2010 17:38

Just to add that none of this is new. These are all things they've been expected to do since they were 7/8.

OP posts:
bb99 · 17/12/2010 09:12

Fantastic - think I'll use it with DD and her chores as I too am sick of the sound of my own voice.

Maybe have one for dc2 too (just a toddler, so perhaps posative stars!)

Have just had to ground her, so I am firmly in the woof woof house, and the kitchen floor needs a clean where she threw her orange in a hissy fit...roll on this pm Grin The mop is ready and waiting...

tinkselgirl · 17/12/2010 15:21

you've just described my house ... perfectly,

Ineedtinsel · 17/12/2010 16:31

LOLXmas Grin I am going to use that idea for Dd2[15].

She is struggling with the concept of... " If you don't clean your disgusting pit of a room you will get no allowance and no phone top up in Janury"

OMG they drive you loopy don't they.

Ineedtinsel · 17/12/2010 16:33

That should have said January

I am so stressed out with teen behaviour I can't even spell anymoreXmas Grin.

cat64 · 17/12/2010 23:09

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Message withdrawn

Beamur · 17/12/2010 23:22

It won't work Xmas Grin But good luck.
Unless your boys have tidy genes, they will not be tidy.
The only concession I got from my SC's was laundry in the basket - but then I put a basket in each of their bedrooms...
Close their bedroom doors, have other consequences for jobs not done - i.e lunch box not emptied? then no lunch for the next day can be put in it. Dirty clothes on floor? They don't get washed.
Do try though, otherwise your messy boys will become someones messy husband one day and their wife will curse that their Mums didn't take a firmer hand!

LoveMyGirls · 17/12/2010 23:27

I say pick your stuff up off the floor by tomorrow or I will bin bag it and lock it away until I see fit. Maybe that would work with yours? Mine are only 5 and 11 so I may find my way stops working soon!

maryz · 17/12/2010 23:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bobs · 17/12/2010 23:59

I just hope you've caught them while they're young!!! And you do realise that as soon as you can't be bothered with the sticker chart everything will revert back to "normal" (chortles quietly to self). I have girls and with DD1 my policy is no pocket money Sat morning if room is not tidy - including dusting and hoovering....very easy to let slide tho' !

snowedinthesticks · 18/12/2010 13:39

I know, I know it won't work, or at least not for long. I just feel as Beamur says that it's my duty to try and housetrain them.

The clothes on the floor is not just a bedroom thing, it starts at the back door and you can follow a trail through the house starting with jumper and ending with socks. For some reason they always end up sat around in boxers.

It's not that I haven't tried all those other suggestions before and they all work but only for a while.
I hate the fact that i always seem to be nagging. One reason things have gone downhill is that I was trying to serenely ignore what is essentially not bad behaviour.
Don't sweat the small stuff they say. Unfortunately my failure to nag has resulted in me exploding with frustration at The Mess.

Yesterday was a pleasure to watch as they carefully picked up towels and put away shoes. Grin.
DS2 has no stars but DS1 has 3, much to my surprise as I thought it would be the other way round.

OP posts:
ShiningWit · 18/12/2010 13:46

snowedinthesticks - your house is clearly too warm! turn off the heating and open some windows, then they might keep their clothes on!

I don't have teens but like the idea of your chart - keep us updated.

snowedinthesticks · 18/12/2010 14:33

Not too warm for me. I'm wearing thick jumper and huge woolly cardi buttoned up to the neck, plus socks and slippers.
Thermometer says it's 18C. DS1 is never cold.

OP posts:
cat64 · 18/12/2010 14:54

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