What Will Those Teen Boys Be Like?

by justsayingmum 60 Comments

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:

EPSON MFP image

EPSON MFP image

www.betamummy.co.uk
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60 thoughts on “What Will Those Teen Boys Be Like?”

  1. 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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  2. 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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  4. 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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  5. 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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  6. 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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  7. 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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  9. 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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  10. 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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  11. 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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  14. 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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  17. 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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  18. 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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  21. #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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  22. 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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    1. 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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  24. 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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  26. 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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    1. 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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  30. 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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  31. 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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