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

How do you get down (a la Barry White) with teens in the house?

24 replies

GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 14/05/2008 12:26

DD1 patrols throughout the evening.

She walked into my bedroom at least 6 times the other night. The fact that DH had fallen asleep and I was watching TV was of little consequence - she just wanted to make sure there was no funny business. Actually, we had planned on a bit of funny business, but I refused to partake on the grounds that rotten 13 y-o was on the prowl, and I just couldn't relax enough. How do you ever manage it when you have one like that?

OP posts:
JackieNo · 14/05/2008 12:28

Maybe you need to play up to it - might she be really embarrassed if you were doing something, and leave you to it? Pretty sure I would have scuttled away out of earshot if I thought my parents were up to anything.

lou33 · 14/05/2008 12:28

i have a lock on my door and i put some music on

JackieNo · 14/05/2008 12:29

Or put a lock on your bedroom door?

JackieNo · 14/05/2008 12:29

x-post with Lou.

lou33 · 14/05/2008 12:31

it is also handy for hiding away from my kids when they are getting stressful [ grin]

Original poster
GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 14/05/2008 12:38

I have got a lock on my bedroom door, but she is very tenacious, and would probably stand there knocking until we opened it.

Such a shame DH gets up at 6am. It's too early for me, but mornings are the only time of day she's guaranteed to be asleep. Although 4yo DD gets up pretty early, so it's from one to t'other.

We'll probably have to resort to the car. Or the garden shed. But it's a bit cobwebby in there.

OP posts:
yorkshirepudding · 14/05/2008 12:40

Message withdrawn

Original poster
GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 14/05/2008 13:16

I think I may just do a recording of my voice saying "Go to bed" "For God's sake - it's almost 11 O'clock" "How are you ever going to get up in the morning"

and just leave it playing on a loop.

OP posts:
lou33 · 14/05/2008 14:25

tell her if your door is locked she must only disturb you in an emergency, and keep saying that, ignore her if it isnt

nickytwotimes · 14/05/2008 14:27

omg!
I can't imagine anything worse as a teenager than even considering the oldies were at it, lol!

Seriously, i was not allowed in my parents' bedroom without knocking and being invited. Get a lock while she learns!

noddyholder · 14/05/2008 14:30

y ds is like this he just comes in when he feels like it.He isn't checking up he just feels he can.I have told him not to just barge in but I really think he thinks we are too old to be doing anything like that.We need a lock too What would your daughter say if you just said your room is out of bounds?

MissingMyHeels · 14/05/2008 14:38

Explain that you and DH want alone time when in your room after 10pm - after that time she isn't to knock unless a real emergency.

Failing that, let her walk in on you, she won't do it again!

jesuswhatnext · 14/05/2008 14:52

'she wanted to make sure there was no funny business' - i think i would say 'go away, me and dad are snogging!!!! and possilbly more'she is quite old enough to understand that!

tell her that one day she will want privacy,and on HER past behavoiur, it will be a case of 'some hope at the moment darling!!!'

violentviolet · 14/05/2008 15:07

I'd get a lock, and if she persists with knocking and pestering you could try inviting her in for a nice toe-curlingly embarassing birds and bees talk- that would have put me off even mentioning sex ever again (if of couse my parents ever HAD sex, which they didn't once I was concieved, I'm sure)

I like jesuswhatnext's snogging suggestion too

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 15:15

Any chance of the 2 of you being at home when they're at school? Afternoon delight, finest kind

Tortington · 14/05/2008 15:17

"please knock before you come into my room, i might be having sex with your father."

13 yo's go to bed at 10pm. lights off no fucking about.

by 11pm you should be lights off and fucking about

tell them that you have sex - its not a bad thing.

then they turn the radio up louder or but the ipod on.

noddyholder · 14/05/2008 15:19

my ds would die if he thought we were having sex.

notjustmom · 14/05/2008 15:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShowOfHands · 14/05/2008 15:23

DH's parents (back when he was teenage dp and had siblings aged 10, 12 and 14) used to say "we're going to bed, we will be having sex, you have been warned". Worked a treat. We avoided that end of the house and turned the music up.

Original poster
GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 14/05/2008 21:13

I love these suggestions, but my catholic upbringing leaves my toes curling at the thought of telling her we are having sex!

She gets riled if we so much as kiss in front of her.

Oh I wish I had enough dosh for boarding school.

OP posts:
figroll · 14/05/2008 21:51

I understand your problem - it just gets harder and harder to get a minute to yourself!

We grab every moment we can and are lucky enough to have a whole Saturday morning with no children at all - orchestra!

So I would encourage you to get your daughter to take up a musical instrument and then enrolling her in orchestra practise - it has been a blessing!!

mumblechum · 15/05/2008 10:29

We send our ds to bed at 9pm, lights off at 10 doesn't come down. Maybe he knows we're q. likely to be getting down on the sofa .

He's only ever come into our room after knocking and then only in the am to say he's off out somewhere. We've never asked him to knock, but we always knock before going in his room at night, as a courtesy.

Agree with others she needs to know your room is out of bounds unless the house is on fire.

lazymumofteenagesons · 15/05/2008 15:48

I liked it when they were babies and were asleep by 7:30 and we had an evening!

Our sons knock and we shout go away we're asleep which seems to work.

Disenchanted · 15/05/2008 15:50

Make a sign that says 'Shagging in progress' and hang it on the door at said times.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page