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Teenagers

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

Original poster

have your teens changed personality HUGELY since being little?

53 replies

mellyonion · 15/02/2008 15:56

hi. i love reading this board. i'm a youth worker and work with teens. its great for me to see the parents side of teen issues, and gives me a well rounded view of teen problems and isues...have enjoyed the "do you remember" thread, and it got me thinking....my 3 kiddies are still little, but i am getting glimpses into the future with my sometimes adorable, sometimes sulky 7 year old.....i just wondered...have your teens sort of retained the same personality traits as they used to have when they were small???

OP posts:
2bulletsformyvalentine · 15/02/2008 16:53
Hmm
juuule · 15/02/2008 17:04

from me, too.

Original poster
mellyonion · 15/02/2008 17:12

sorry! whats so about it? just curious thats all!

OP posts:
CodrinaMcGavel · 15/02/2008 17:18

You bunch of meanies!

I have idly wondered similar myself.

JeremyVile · 15/02/2008 17:23

Forgot to change back!

I was thinking t'other day, is DS fundamentally the person he always will be already, or will he evolve as he grows in such a way that who he is now will bear no resemblance to who he'll be in 10 years?

Not a big thought, granted!

So , anyway, can see what op is saying.

TurkeyLurkey · 15/02/2008 17:25

Yes I've wondered too if mine will have the same 'personality traits' that they have now or if their hormones will alter them beyond recognition come puberty.

southeastastra · 15/02/2008 17:26

no mine's the same, but with a deeper voice.

Pruners · 15/02/2008 17:42

Message withdrawn

Twiglett · 15/02/2008 17:44

I wonder this too ... my eldest is 7 ...

why the hmm faces?

TheFallenMadonna · 15/02/2008 17:45

It's an interesting topic isn't it? Traits and temperament. I did it in my psych course.

Don't get the s either?

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 15/02/2008 17:47

My 16 & 17 yo nephews are the same - helpful, funny, clumsy and mad on sport. But like SEAs, they have deeper voices and also slightly fluffy chins.

The early teen nieces & nephews are mostly PITAs atm. BUT they were whiney & self-centered when small so I suppose they are still the same. [pulls a Dame Edna crooked-face]

brimfull · 15/02/2008 17:51

My dd is pretty much the same.

Her confidence has increased but most other traits are unchanged.

Things like her sense of humour and thoughtfulness are more obvious now than when she was younger.

TurkeyLurkey · 15/02/2008 17:51

Talking of bum fluff, I've noticed on some teens boys that they go though that phase of their noses being too big for their faces too.

chenin · 15/02/2008 17:54

My DDs (16 and 19) have not changed a jot from when they were young.. this is an interesting topic and can't quite understand why there are !

DD1 was always a drama queen, a bossy little madam,and a nosy parker when she was tiny. She is still the same!

DD2 was such a laid back character when the was little, nothing phased her, easygoing and sunny disposition and again, that has not changed now she is 16.

All the traits they had when they were little are still there... DD1 used to have horrendous tantrums at age 2 and now has grown up ones - slamming doors, shouting, very verbal..(love her to bits....!!)

DD2 always had a sharp and funny humour even when she was little and that off-the-wall humour is still there...

So nothing has changed and its lovely!

TurkeyLurkey · 15/02/2008 18:01

Thats good to hear Helliebean. I have this fear that they'll morph into something that I don't recognise so its good to hear that many of the traits they have now remain with them for life.

juuule · 15/02/2008 18:05

My was because I didn't that a youth worker working with teens wouldn't be aware that teens aren't much different to when they are a child.
With my children their personalities have stayed basically the same as when they were younger.

suedonim · 15/02/2008 18:33

Like Helliebean, my dc have basically kept their childhood characters. Ds1 was a very easy, laid back baby and at 33yo is still the same. His worst trait as a child was being a sore loser and he's still a sore loser!

Ds2 has probably changed the most in that he was a nervy, jumpy baby/toddler. He isn't that sort of nervy now but he is quite prickly and is the one I have to tiptoe round the most.

Dd1 was a gorgeous, sunny baby and is a gorgeous sunny 20yo now. Even as a teen she was very little trouble. Her outgoing nature means she simply has to talk, so her strops lasted all of two minutes max.

Dd2 was highly strung when small. She's 11 now and although she has grown tremendously in confidence in the past couple of years she is, as my mother says, still like a coiled spring.

Califrau · 15/02/2008 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oxocube · 15/02/2008 18:39

I only have one of my kids who is almost a teen at 12 and I think he is pretty much the same laid back, sensitive, shy young man now as he was back when he was 6 or 7. He has always been very self-effacing and considerate and still is now, although he is beginning (with me at least) to assert himself more and to have his own points of view which may differ from mine. But who knows what another 3 or 4 years will bring

My younger two are 10 and 6 so there's quite a way to go before I know with them.

discoverlife · 15/02/2008 18:42

Crikey, what a question. MY personality has changed since my kids were little. Of course theres have, what do you expect. Them to come out with fully integrated personallities.

Granny22 · 15/02/2008 18:43

Yes, they will stay the same. However, they will disappear for a few years and be replaced by aliens. There is nothing you can do to communicate with these strange beings - best to stand well back whilst doing what you can to keep them safe. They are sometimes able to talk with you but only by telephone, never face to face.

Mine left home quite early (16&17) to go to college/uni and overnight changed back into my missing children/young adults who wanted to visit and be visited as often as possible and asked often for not exactly advice but more opinions which they might or might not take on board.

Now both in their 30s and mothers themselves they show the same character traits as they did when a few months old e.g. one never stops talking and one sleeps whenever she gets the chance.

eandh · 15/02/2008 18:45

oh god no no no no I don not want my stroppy,impatient, shouty, moody, talkative 3.5 year old dd1 to be the same in future years (although looking back I was stroppy, impatient,shouty,moody, talakative child/teen/adult) so at least i know where she gets it from

dd2 is chilled out, laid back and loves cuddles (but shes only 13months) so am hoping she stays the same

juuule · 15/02/2008 18:45

Brilliant post Granny22
Sums it all up brilliantly.

smartiejake · 15/02/2008 18:45

Both my dds are very similar to the way they were as tinies. DD1 (11) is more confident but still very sensitive, musical and loving.

DD2 is stroppy, over dramatic and very clever with words and remarkably witty.

These were very obvious traits for both of them from a very young age.

Desiderata · 15/02/2008 18:49

C'mon, 2bullets and juuule. Explain yourselves with the business.

It's a perfectly good OP, and I'm interested in following the thread. I can't see anything strange about it at all.