What Will Those Teen Boys Be Like?
Many of the posts I write are about teen girls. My girls just seem to provide me with plenty of material, what can I say? However, I do have a son. He is now a teenager. I’m in denial, though. So, when I invited Beth, from The Adventures of Beta Mummy, to take part in my teen series of how those with smalls envisage the teen years to be like, I was delighted. Beth has two boys. Right, Beth, just how bad do you think it is going to be? I may just have to read this hiding behind my hands!
1. I know it’s a long way off but what are you dreading about your boys becoming teens? I’m dreading puberty and the thought of going into one of their rooms and finding…I don’t know…sticky tube socks…?! Their dad and I are no longer together so I’ll have to do my best with any “manly issues”…! I’m also dreading the school work and exams, and the stress that comes with it.
2. What are you looking forward to? Not having them wake me up at 6am! It’ll be nice to have to wake them up for a change, although I guess that novelty will wear off eventually.
3. As a parent, what issues do you imagine are important when raising teens? Time and time again I have thought how relieved I am that social media (and all the crap that can come with it) and smart phones didn’t exist when I was a teenager. When I hear about online bullying and grooming etc it makes me scared for my boys. Another issue I’m worried about is mental health. Mental health issues in young men are increasingly common and I often lose sleep over the worry that I’m fucking them up in some way and potentially contributing to future mental health problems.
4. What kind of parent do you think or hope (!) you’ll be when your boys are in their teen years? I hope that I’ll be approachable and that my boys will trust me with their problems. I hope that they’ll still want to hang out with me from time to time. I expect I’ll be embarrassing but hopefully not so much so that they’ll refuse to acknowledge me in public!
5. Is there anything you’d like to say to your own parents before your boys become teens or were you an angel? My mum will back me up on this: I was pretty much angel! I kind of wish I’d been a bit more rebellious, actually, but I just can’t help being sensible and boring, when all is said and done.
6. Is there any advice that you would give your sons before they get to the teen stage? Listen to your dear old mum: I love you more than you will ever understand until you have children of your own. I will only ever have your best interests at heart, even though it might not feel like that sometimes. Being a good person is more important than being the most popular person. Oh – and please wash daily, you smell.
7. Do you envisage raising teens to be an easier stage than raising littles? God, I hope so because raising little ones is harder than I thought possible! I’m not a naturally maternal type, but I do feel like I’m settling into motherhood marginally more as my kids get older. I have no doubts that teenagers can be grim, and challenging, and cause no end of worry and stress…but I’m hoping that I will feel better equipped to deal with that than with screaming babies. We shall see – ask me again in 10 years or so!
Oh, Beth, thank you so much for these answers. They are just brilliant. I love your humour but also your compassion and empathy for boys. I know that raising teens isn’t straightforward. You mention mental health. The stats are scary and they sit their at the back of my mind, too. I guess, we can only hope that, by being approachable, as you say, that they will be able to talk to us. Oh, and the washing daily? I hear you! Beth, thank you, again, for these answers, and, hopefully, your boys will follow in your footsteps of being an angel (I’m super impressed!) and that you will breeze through the teen years. I will be asking in ten years for sure!
And, as always, we couldn’t have a post by Beth without her famous doodles, so here goes, Alpha versus Beta:
www.betamummy.co.uk
facebook.com/betamum
twitter.com/beta_mummy
instagram.com/the_adventures_of_beta_mummy/
This is brilliant. I love the doodles!! I was just talking to my colleagues yesterday about my hopes and fears for the kids growing up, and especially in their teen years. Like Beth, I just hope that I’ve grown enough as a mum by then to be able to handle it all with some modicum of grace and understanding! Time will tell, eh?! #BloggerClubUK
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Oh thank you! Oh I love her drawings too – make me giggle every single time! You must go check her blog out – you’ll just love it! Thank you for your comment xx
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Oh a constant worry over the teenage years!! Way off yet. Agree with beth about the smellls too, I can still smell the memory of my older brother!! Yikes the mental health stat is shocking and I hope in the coming years we can really break the stigma that exists nowadays. I think something will give and it’s hopefully our children that will be better for it!! Thank you for linking up to the #familyfunlinky Helen as always a pleasure 😀
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Oh this made me giggle! The mental health stat shocked me too. We are so informed now as parents that I hipe that will help too xx
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I can relate to so much of this – I think about Josh being a teenager and it scares the hell out of me, especially the amount of social media there is now! Fantastic drawings beth xx #coolmumclub
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Always the social media fear! Are you London based? If so you must pop along to my event on social media and our children! xx
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Those drawings are so true! The second one particularly … I can so relate to those fears – it’s hard figuring all the social media stuff out so you can help them as I’ve no experience to draw on really!
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Social media is the crux of a lot of parents concerns. Have you heard about the event I’m running on social media and our children?? xx
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Hehe those doodles are fab! I love this series (although it does make me panic about how I’ll survive the teenage years! Eek!) #ablogginggoodtime
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Oh aren’t they just fab! Oh you’ll breeze it lovely! xx
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Ah I love this! I haven’t bumped into Beta Mummy in ages and I’d forgotten how bloody hilarious she is. Currently celebrating having two teenage girls to look forward to…but maybe that’s a little premature..
#coolmumclub – thanks for linking Helen!
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She’s just hilarious isn’t she?!! Ha ha love that little celebration!!
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I have two young boys and long for the end of the 6am alarm clock! No doubt it will be replaced by something equally frustrating (and probably more complicated) but as the mantra goes “it’s only a phase”!
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Ha ha this made me smile! Always a phase! It’s never ending! xx
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Found you through #bloggerclubuk btw!
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I LOVE the drawings! How brilliant! I’m hoping we won’t have the smells- my daughter is already dowsing herself in vanilla body spray and she’s only 9! #ablogginggoodtime
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This was a great post and then I got to your drawings. Brilliant.
My son wasn’t as rebellious as my daughter in his teenage years. It’ll all work out fine.
#familyfun
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Oh thank you so much! Beth makes me giggle every single time with her drawings – she’s so so talented! Oh I hear you about sons versus daughters! x
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Haha I love Beth and her doodles. These are some fab answers, I think the sentiment ‘listen to your mum I always have your best interest at heart’ is so spot on. Having dabbled with raising a teen it’s amazing how they can not understand or appreciate that you might know a little better than them, chances are it’s a been there done that situation. I certainly hope that mine will listen to their old mum who might well know better and will certainly have their best interests at heart. A fab read. Thank you for sharing at #familyfun
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ha ha a mum knowing better than a teen – this made me giggle! Thank you for your comment lovely and I’m sure your children will listen to you really! xx
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Just popping back in from #bigpinklink and re-admiring those doodles!x
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This is a lovely read. I worry about exam times too, they can be so stressful xx #marvmondays
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Oh thank you! Plenty to love too but there does seem to be the worry also xx
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Love the answers and the doodles! This post has made me think about the scary prospect of raising teens. There must be so many issues to think about that I currently don’t have to deal with as a mum to a 3 and 5 year old. I guess no matter what stage of parenting you’re at there will always be a worry! Helen, I’ll be coming to you for advice in 10 years! #BigPinkLink xx
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Oh thank you for your comment, Cheryl. It’s not that scary, I promise. Oh I am sure your girls will be a dream! xx
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Stinky tube socks!! I am glad sometimes I have girls, but then the moods can be far worse! Thanks for sharing for #marvmondays x
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having two girls and a boy, I can confirm that so far boys are a walk in the park! But that may change!
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What an interesting read – I only have girls, but share a lot of these fears. The teenage years are especially scary! #MarvMondays
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I think it is the worry of the unknown, or perhaps a worry from our own teen years but, having got here, for the most part, it is great! Thank you for your comment x
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Well I have to say, in defence of teenage boys, that both mine smell divine lol! They seriously take forever in their DAILY shower, spend a fortune on designer aftershaves, change their clothes far too frequently for my liking and leave their bedrooms smelling like the perfume counters in Boots! None of my friends – who won’t enter their sons’ rooms without the aid of a gas mask – can quite believe it!! LOL! 🙂 #TweensTeensBeyond
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Oh wow – super impressed – I do hope my son follows suit! What a refreshing change to read this! Thank you for your comment x #TweensTeensBeyond
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Tried commenting earlier but bloody WordPress wouldn’t let me! 🙂 As I wrote, I ABSOLUTELY loved this post. As a fan of Beta Mummy and yours this was like a dream combo and I could totally relate as the mum of a 3 year-old boy. My worries and hopes were pretty much all laid out in this interview in one clean sheet 🙂 The doodles were also ace, as usual. #dreamteam
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Oh thank you so so much for such a gorgeous comment! Hope you breeze those teen years in 10 years time! Enjoy this stage lovely xx
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Ha ha loving the doodles Beth. As always I’m just trying not to think about the teenage years – eek!! #DreamTeam
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Aren’t they just fab! Such a talented girl! Thank you for reading lovely xx
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i must say with 4 boys and the youngest having turned 18 last month, the teenage years weren’t that bad and on reflection the fact that we are all still alive and speaking to one another says something in itself
#TweensTeensBeyond
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Oh this made me giggle and is so good to hear! Thank you for your comment x
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#marvmondays love this post, so true regarding smelly boys 🙂 i work with teenage girls and they are exhausting, but listening to mum and family time never get old – not even social media can compete when its done well.
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Oh what a beautiful way to look at it and I so agree! Thank you for your comment x
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I love this series. I don’t think I ever thought what mine were going to be like as teenagers when they were little, it does suddenly creep up on you though. It has its challenging moments but I have to say personally I prefer it to breast feeding and potty training! Thanks for joining us Helen. #TweensTeensBeyond
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Oh I love this stage and wouldn’t want to go back. Yes there are challenges but overall it’s the best! Thank you for your comment xx
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As a Teacher I fear them going to secondary school the most. No idea what i’ll do about it… lets cross that bridge when we get there. #dreamteam
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I think sometimes the actual thought can be worse than the actual experience. That’s what I’ve found. Hope it’s the same for you. Not that I’m saying it’s a breeze but they gain life lessons I guess, however hard some of those sadly can be. Thank you for your comment x
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Some lovely answers here. I don’t have the pleasure of a son but it made me wonder what my thoughts would be versus those of having a daughter. Very different set of worries for sure. Thank you for sharing with us at #tweensteensbeyond
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I love Beth’s answers too! Oh and her drawings. I should ask her to do a set for daughters! x
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awww lovely to see a different side to beta mummy but still with some of her original drawings which are as bloody brilliant as ever!
Thanks for linking to #ablogginggoodtime Don’t forget to join us again next week!
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She’s just the best isn’t she?! And, I agree, so lovely to see a different side xx
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First, I love that woman’s drawings; they are just amazing. Totally envious of her talent
Second, did you take that amazing skateboard pic?!
Third, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen the f bomb on your site!
Fourth, the socks. I can’t even.
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Ha ha ha isn’t she just so talented?! I know – the first time on my site – Beth will always be remembered for that! Thank you lovely. Can’t take the credit for the photo – wish I could!
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ps I’m deliberately ignoring the socks!
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Listen to your Mum is the best advice, and something I find myself saying repeatedly to my 13 year old! Then again, I never listened to mine either….#dreamteam
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ha ha ha it’s coming back to haunt us! Thank you lovely xx
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This is so brilliant! I love the drawing, that made me laugh! Well,as you know, I have three girls and so teen boys will have to remain a mystery to me! Except of course, a boyfriend or two, who seem to be kept under wraps at the moment! Thanks so much for linking up at #TweensTeensBeyond xx
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She really is just so talented! Oh the boyfriends – yes we have some of those over here too – taught one of them how to iron last night!! xx
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Oh I love this idea for a series, its so fun to hear how others feel the teens year might be and Beth’s answers were just wonderful! Thank you for sharing with #bigpinklink x
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Oh thank you! I loved Beth’s answers too xx
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Oh I love Beth’s answers – I think what we’re finding now my stepson is in his teens is that he doesn’t really tell us very much at all. After all those years of being a chatterbox, it’s quite a change! Thanks for linking up to #dreamteam x
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Just fab aren’t they! Oh no to the stopping chatting. My boy is a real chatter – hope it doesn’t stop! xx
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Finally had a chance to read this properly. Having only one son, who has just become a teenager, it’s something very much on my mind. I really relate to those drawings! My son was a very easy as a young child and friend of mine who has 3 grown up boys always says ‘easy baby, tricky teen’. So I’m bracing myself ….
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Aww let’s hope not! My boy has been so easy – he turns 14 soon but so far so good or I’m in denial! Oh fingers crossed for us both then! xx
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