Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Teenagers

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

Original poster

Can anyone beat this level of teenage obliviousness?

50 replies

BlowDryRat · 20/12/2023 22:29

DS is 13. Some months ago he smashed his phone screen, I got it repaired and within 2 weeks it was smashed again due to his own carelessness. I told him he'd need to save up to get it repaired.

Roll on to today. He was very chirpy (unusual) and I just assumed he was excited about Christmas until he came out with, "I don't know how I did it, but my phone screen's working properly again!"

Yes, darling. It is. Not through some divine miracle but because I took it to the repair shop on Monday in a fit of seasonal generosity and paid £60 to get it fixed. And to make it worse, he was there when I did it! 🙄

Any other oblivious teenagers out there?

OP posts:
CurlsnSunshinetime4tea · 20/12/2023 22:54

not sure if this brand makes a case that fits your particular phone but the apple phone rep recommended the MIRACASE from amazon.
i'm awaiting my delivery now.
oblivious teens...well we left our 16 year old home alone for a weekend (while driving the other 2 to university with a full car and trailer) he offered to water the plants, nice except they were all artificial (on top of bookcases) and in 16 years of life in the same home never figured it out.

Towwanthustice · 20/12/2023 22:55

Self entitlement. My daughters the same!

SingingSands · 20/12/2023 22:59

DS to DH: "where's Mum?"
DH: "London"
DS: "what? I just thought she was working late!"

I'd been in London for TWO DAYS by this point.

stayathomer · 20/12/2023 23:02

SingingSands
🙈😅

Changingplace · 20/12/2023 23:03

SingingSands · 20/12/2023 22:59

DS to DH: "where's Mum?"
DH: "London"
DS: "what? I just thought she was working late!"

I'd been in London for TWO DAYS by this point.

I raise you my brother, when we were both younger;

Mum; I’m going to the station to collect Changingplace

Bro; oh ok, has she been to X place shopping

Mum; No, she’s been at uni for an entire term

😆

SingingSands · 20/12/2023 23:11

Ahahahahaha 😂 that's brilliant @Changingplace

Whattheheckcarer · 20/12/2023 23:14

These are great

HunterBidensBurnerPhone · 20/12/2023 23:18

I swear being a teenager is like having brain damage.

flowerchild2000 · 20/12/2023 23:24

Oblivious to her own rankness. Mine is 14, has ASD and ADHD, so she has a lot of difficulty with hygiene. But she also gets angry if I remind her. She's also home schooled so she can roll out of bed, hair unwashed, uncombed, jump into her video classes in her pajamas and then sit there all day not realizing how gross she is. I can be across the room and all I can smell is a truckload of onions that's been sitting out in the sun for a week. I'll gently say, Did you wash up? And she'll say yes. I'll say are you sure? Smell your armpits and tell me what you smell. She'll sniff herself in a very exaggerated manner and say she doesn't smell anything 🫠 When we go out she loves to dress up and put makeup on, she'll put so much effort in and look really cute. But she won't comb her rats nest or wash!! Every time I have to send her to the bathroom to start over. I've tried being more direct- you stink! take a bath! And she acts offended! I hope this is mostly a teenager thing and not just ASD so she can outgrow it soon, my poor nose!

Ohthatsfabulousdarling · 20/12/2023 23:34

This is a bit like DD, I said to her when she misses emptying the dishwasher I want her to do it, then catch up by refilling the dishwasher as I can't do it myself as I go with it being full.

Yes mum, of course mum, whatever you ask mum.

The dishwasher gets half emptied, she refused a few bits, but doesn't see the plate, knife and fork, glass and mug on the table.

What about the stuff on the table?

I looked on the table, there isn't anything!

Look....can you not see this? -gesturing to the stuff on the table.

I didn't see that there!

...its bloody yours! From today!

They are oblivious sometimes.

FairyTaleOfDudley · 20/12/2023 23:36

We moved into our new house a year ago. In the main bathroom there are 2 sinks. Ds13 came to find me the other day to excitedly inform me there were 2 sinks. He's quite literally never noticed and even though he probably uses the second bathroom more, he definitely uses the main one at least once. Every day for a year Confused

Avacardo2023 · 21/12/2023 00:06

My DD1 reached peak teen today. I received a WhatsApp asking for a lift from her friend's house. "Mum I need a lift home from Ruby's. Please don't send Dad as I'm too exhausted to be embarrassed today".

Original poster
BlowDryRat · 21/12/2023 09:22

Hahaha these are brilliant. I'll look into that phone case. He tends to dump his blazer on the playground to play football, phone in pocket. It wouldn't surprise me if he played football with the actual phone, going by the state it was in last time.

Younger DD was away for a week at summer camp this year. A few days into it, DS asked, "Where's DD?" 🙄

OP posts:
SingingSands · 21/12/2023 12:21

Avacardo2023 · 21/12/2023 00:06

My DD1 reached peak teen today. I received a WhatsApp asking for a lift from her friend's house. "Mum I need a lift home from Ruby's. Please don't send Dad as I'm too exhausted to be embarrassed today".

😂😂

LonelynSad · 22/12/2023 12:21

CurlsnSunshinetime4tea · 20/12/2023 22:54

not sure if this brand makes a case that fits your particular phone but the apple phone rep recommended the MIRACASE from amazon.
i'm awaiting my delivery now.
oblivious teens...well we left our 16 year old home alone for a weekend (while driving the other 2 to university with a full car and trailer) he offered to water the plants, nice except they were all artificial (on top of bookcases) and in 16 years of life in the same home never figured it out.

That's hilarious! Please tell me he hadn't already actually watered them?!

Mirrormeback · 22/12/2023 12:25

Avacardo2023 · 21/12/2023 00:06

My DD1 reached peak teen today. I received a WhatsApp asking for a lift from her friend's house. "Mum I need a lift home from Ruby's. Please don't send Dad as I'm too exhausted to be embarrassed today".

That just made me laugh out loud Grin

alloalloallo · 22/12/2023 12:29

Mine is actually 22, but this morning:

DD: Mum, do we have any toast?
Me: (bit baffled) No, but we have plenty of bread
DD: I don’t like bread (wanders off)

She’s at uni ffs

Iwanttheraintostop · 22/12/2023 13:01

My DD 15 called me the other day at 5pm:
DD: Mum I'm outside the house ringing the doorbell and you're not answering
Me: That's because I'm out
DD: Out??!!! Where are you?
Me: just walking back from the hairdressers. The neighbours have keys
DD: No I'll wait but you can't be long

I did tell her all week to remember her keys as I had stuff on. She was so shocked I actually go out of the house sometimes late afternoon 🤣

MrsFloof · 22/12/2023 14:01

Said to DS that is 500 years old, same age as our cottage.
DS I am shocked, you mean our house isn't modern.
No DS it's a 500 year old cottage.
DS How is it still standing? I thought it must be a copy otherwise it would have fallen down. Can you tell me exactly how it is still standing?

DD who is always out and about sends DH and I messages when we go swimming saying you aren't out swimming again are you?

puncheur · 22/12/2023 14:07

DS broke his phone screen when he was 12. I told him he would have to pay for it to be repaired out of his savings. It obviously taught him a lesson as he’s not broken it since and is super-careful with the phone.

Psychoticbreak · 22/12/2023 14:45

puncheur · 22/12/2023 14:07

DS broke his phone screen when he was 12. I told him he would have to pay for it to be repaired out of his savings. It obviously taught him a lesson as he’s not broken it since and is super-careful with the phone.

I am not sure you really get the jist of this thread.

RoseBucket · 22/12/2023 14:49

No but it’s a good parenting tip (re the not getting this thread post)

WASZPy · 22/12/2023 15:02

HunterBidensBurnerPhone · 20/12/2023 23:18

I swear being a teenager is like having brain damage.

😂

GrandHighPoohbah · 22/12/2023 15:17

Mine has to call me upstairs because he's unable to find a shirt that's hanging in the wardrobe he's currently got open in front of him....

mumonthehill · 22/12/2023 15:30

ds who is actually 23, asked my ddad and dh last night if they had any dishwasher tips as his glasses kept coming out dirty. He was most surprised to learn that it had a filter which he actually needed to clean, i came around the corner to find all 3 with their heads in the dishwasher teaching him where it was and how to get it out!!! He is doing a masters so really should have a brain!!