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Teenagers

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

Original poster

Living with teenagers - Saturday Guardian supplement

47 replies

matilda57 · 19/05/2007 10:53

Sorry, I'm new here so don't know if yous have endlessly discussed this column? I find it invaluable and look forward every week to reading it. Nothing like finding out you're not the only one...

OP posts:
PrincessPeaHead · 19/05/2007 11:01

do you write this column by any teeny tiny chance? little word of advice - by posting this thread 10,000 times you will turn people who previously quite liked it into people who wouldn't read it if you paid them

moondog · 19/05/2007 11:19

Is that the one full of foul mouthed adolescents? God no,it's fucking awful and staggeringly depressing.If my kids ended up like that i would shoot them.

margoandjerry · 19/05/2007 11:22

I'm quite shocked by it. The one where the older boy stood at her bedroom door banging it just to intimidate her while she cowered inside for hours . I just thought "get a backbone fgs"

I think she's weak and her children exploit that. Sorry if it's you, btw.

webcrone · 19/05/2007 11:22

That's the one Moondog. I find it irritatingly self indulgent.

neutronstar · 19/05/2007 11:23

Makes me want to bite the parents. What a pair of spineless losers.

serenity · 19/05/2007 11:28

I hope I'm reading sarcasm in the OP! Every week I read it and end up shouting at it. Stop feeding and cleaning up after those ungrateful miserable brats, you stupid stupid woman.

moyasmum · 19/05/2007 11:50

matilda57
What are you putting up with at home?
I know teenagers are a pain,and conversations like in this column are normal in lots of homes, but not all the time. Its grim.
My contingency plan is to farm dds out to their godmother for a shortish sharp shock if they behave this way.

MarsLady · 19/05/2007 11:50

I think you get a more realistic view of teens here on MN actually.

I have 1 teen, 1 about to be teen and spend my Sunday evenings working with about 40 of them. Love teens. Can't abide the Guardian column. There's a woman that should've discovered MN once pregnant. Honestly... my teens would never dream of treating me like that... and if for an instant they did.... well believe me their minds would change (as would their address)

pinballwizard · 19/05/2007 12:25

clicked on invaluable as i thought it was a link!

noddyholder · 19/05/2007 12:32

My ds and his friends are actually a pita but also a constant source of fun and interst to dp and I.Have read the column but it is middle class rambling really

Pimmpom · 19/05/2007 14:41

oh i thought you were exaggerating PPH when you said this has been posted 10,000 times - i see that you are not

donnie · 19/05/2007 14:47

it is shite and everyone hates it.

WendyWeber · 19/05/2007 14:52

What donnie said (I said similar on one of the other 10,000 threads but not as concisely )

donnie · 19/05/2007 14:57

seriously though, I would be very interested in knowing how you find it 'invaluable' matilda57 - as a warning about how not to let twattish spoilt middle class tossers treat their parents? or something else?

Original poster
matilda57 · 25/05/2007 14:43

oh looky here! I thought this hadn't posted (pc up the spout) but it looks like you've been beseiged. ah well. er, I thought this was a support site? Some of your replies have a nasty edge to them? What do you bother to be nasty for - bcs we can't see you? It's obvious it was posted numerous times in error DUH.

Yes it is middle class (horribly so) but hey I'm sure if someone working class wrote a column about teenagers we'd all be swearing at it too, but for different reasons. We are all quite self-righteous about our parenting these days. What's the big deal about the middle classes anyway? For the record, I'm not middle class either, but I'm going through hell with my teens.

I can't help thinking - I really can't - that some of yous just haven't reached the tornado proportions that some families go through with teens. Probably before my own particular tornado (plus all weather fronts you can think of) hit I would have thought this couple were mad. But I don't now. She may ham it up - I don't know - but the main ingredients are there.

Watch out guys - I never thought all this shit would happen to me either, always been pretty tough and straight. But it wings its way out of absolutely nowhere and omg the only thing you can do really is baton down the hatches and hold on. If you think I'm pathetic, then I hope when it happens to you you won't think you're pathetic, bcs that won't help you much!

OP posts:
tinymum · 25/05/2007 14:59

Bloody hell. I cant believe how superior you all sound.

Matilda is right. Its so easy to judge when you havn't been there. And life has a funny way of biting you on the arse when you least expect it......pride comes before a fall and all that.

I've not read the column myself but I will have a look and see what I make of it. Thanks for letting me know. Its always worth keeping an open mind.

And knowing a bit about what you are going through right now, Matilda, its great if you have found something you can relate to, even if not entirely.

Original poster
matilda57 · 25/05/2007 23:33

tinymum - I love you already [KISS]

OP posts:
Oenophile · 25/05/2007 23:42

I enjoy the column - or maybe 'enjoy ' isn't quite the right word - but it does seem to cause strong reactions in people.

My teens have or had seeds of some of that behaviour in them... so I can see where she's coming from. And if yours are like hers, Matilda, take heart that my eldest has got over her 'Rebecca' phase and become a very nice woman, so there IS hope!

nanninurse · 26/05/2007 00:35

Matilda57, good response..

There are alot of bitchy people on here who need a reality check.

Often when you post people have a go, but then others step in & you can get a more balanced view.

It's def not for the faint hearted on ere...

LynetteScavo · 26/05/2007 01:16

Oh I'm so there already, and mine are nowhere near teenagers. I find it hilarious, and know that will so be me in a few years. I don't read the Guardian ofcourse, that would be far too middle class of me

serenity · 26/05/2007 01:37

I don't think anyone on here posted a thing about matilda, so I can't see how anyone was 'judging', every comment was made about the column. I don't have teenagers atm, but I have friends who do, and strangely enough I was one myself and IME I've never known anyone who had such a godawful miserable life as that columnist does. They walk all over her, treat her like dirt and she lets them!

Original poster
matilda57 · 27/05/2007 21:48

PrincessPeaHead on Sat 19-May-07 11:01:32
do you write this column by any teeny tiny chance? little word of advice - by posting this thread 10,000 times you will turn people who previously quite liked it into people who wouldn't read it if you paid them
Quote.

OP posts:
Aitch · 27/05/2007 21:49

so do you write it?

Original poster
matilda57 · 27/05/2007 21:51

I wish! Love to have the money and recognition of a regular weekly column in one of the broadsheets. I expect this woman knows somebody in high places - she wouldn't have got that column if she didn't.

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 27/05/2007 21:53

if you have a column in the graun why would you advertise it on an internet forum? that would be serious insecurity surely?

anyway I love and loathe the column. sometimes it is insightful, othertimes it is just horrific. ds is getting booted out if he behaves like that at 18.