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"He's just at an awkward stage"

MamaBass's picture

I'm sorry, but am I the only one sick of everyone excusing poor teenage behavior because "he's at an awkward stage right now", or "he's just being a teenager". I know he's not my child, so my tolerance for his behavior is rather low to begin with, but since when is ignoring people and not using common manners acceptable because they are a teenager? I know plenty of teenagers who say thank you to their grandparents when they get a gift. SS is 15 and DH STILL has to remind him at holidays and birthdays to say thank you. And when relatives come to his events to talk to them and say thanks for coming. I told DH he shouldn't have to remind him, and he says he knows, he just wants to make sure he does it.

Am I missing something? I think SS15 is a lazy spoiled brat, and should be able to communicate to adults appropriately, but do I just have Smom vision??

Easylikesundaymornin's picture

Here's a ???

If you acted badly in front of your parents who corrected you. Ahhhh there you have it ladies.

YOUR PARENTS !!!

My other favorite is to have to tell kids to vacate their seat for an adult. Move your ass ~ respect your elders

kathc's picture

YEP

Parents are supposed to teach the "they're at that age" kids to not be little jerks.

I've got no problem telling skids to stop being a brat. I'm apparently in the lucky few who doesn't get shit for it.

Easylikesundaymornin's picture

My Dd will correct anyone that doesn't day plz n thank you. Manner are instilled by parent just as morals are ~ it all begins at home.

MamaBass's picture

I agree with all of you! Problem is we are constantly hounding them about manners and politeness when they are here, but they only get it half the time! BM is the same way- rude. And doesn't even know it! SS10 is much better because he was hounded at a much younger age, but I think it's already instilled in SS15. I just feel like saying F it! Good luck in the real world!

Teas83's picture

I'm really old school about manners. My parents made sure that my siblings and I were respectful to everyone. There would've been consequences if we weren't. I expect the same from my SD6 but of course that's a different story. I don't hear the teenager excuse, but my husband will say, "She's just a little kid" to excuse her from lots of things.

steplife's picture

My SD7 has been taught manners by us and she does a pretty good job around adults. She is horrible with other kids though and tries to go around bossing kids around to make them have manners. Even going as far as to say "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY PLEASE" when she isn't showing kids the same courtesy. She is like the above poster the worst at home but in public with adults pretty good.

Right now her bad manner habbit is received a compliment like "Oh SD what a pretty dress you have on" and her reply "I Know". Drives me insane.

onthefence2's picture

We created "adolescence." We literally engineered this awkward time period where we could sell clothes, books, music, etc. to this awkward, self-obsessed, needy group of humans. It's as if kids grow up expecting to go through this turmoil because someone said they would. And so it goes... The truth is, the more time parents spend on their own phones instead of paying attention to their kids when they aren't working their 8 hr job, the less time they have to even realize what their kids are doing. My daughter said her first words at 9 months: "Thank you." She has been homeschooled almost all of her 7 years of school and I get compliments on her all the time. My son is more introverted, but he's polite when engaged. I think too many people don't look ahead into the future and how they want their kids to be when they get there. I'm always looking ahead and where I need to get my kids during their next year or before their next birthday. People are so self-absorbed and selfish, they are often too late when it comes to their kids.

SMLIFESUCKS's picture

I have a new teenager, ds13, he is polite but very shy. So yes I have to sometimes remind him to say certain things, he does make an effort, his problem is he is shy to new people.

I just got a huge compliment last night in fact from an elderly woman. Me, DH, BD9 an DD12mo were out to eat,(BS13 was sick) and she came over to tell us how well behaved our children were and she didn't even know they were in the restaurant.

That to me speaks volumes as to what we are allowing in our society. Are my kids always 100% well behaved? No. Do they have consequences? Yes.

I am old school and if I ever behaved the way kids today do towards anyone, I would have been missing all my teeth.