August 23, 2007

TT #25


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13 signs that your teenager may need help.

1. You find visine in their pocket on more than one occasion.
2. Lighters come out of no where and end up in the dryer after doing laundry.
3. The screen on their window is busted from sneaking out and the rose bush outside their window is trimmed down to nothing.
4. When they come home, there is always a wad of gum in their mouth to try and cover up the smell along with a strong dose of cologne.
5. They refuse to look you in the eye.
6. They lie about anything and everything (some teenagers get pretty good at this).
7. Your child is tardy from school on a regular basis, even missing days of school. (You won't find out about it until the school calls the next day).
8. They are hanging out with new kids and they dont want you to meet them.
9. They start getting in fights in and out of school. Their fuse becomes really short with everyone.
10.Getting in trouble with the law.
11.They become disrespectful to you, family, friends, and teachers.
12.Their personality changes.They become someone you know longer know.
13.Your younger child starts acting funny, avoiding any and all questions about their sibling.

If I left any out....feel free to enlighten me and future parents of teenagers. And on a happier note, the child that put me thru this is now in the military and doing wonderful. There is always hope just be aware and know your child. Did I mention he was a straight "A" student too??


52 comments:

Unknown said...

personally I don't experience this with my teen, but if I remember my brother, when he was on crack, he slept a lot and giggled to himself. Though that is really percise.

Suprina said...

What a wonderful post.
I have 3 boys that will eventually be teens...and I am terrified of it.
Thanks so much for this post!
Happy T13!

Anonymous said...

I hope it is something that can be easily dealt with. I am sorry you have to struggle with it.

Take care.

Karen said...

Hi Lori,
Luckily, I don't have these problems with my 17 year old -- but this is an excellent list to post. Great, informative TT!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I don't have a teenager yet so this was very interesting to read. Happy T13!

Anonymous said...

I have a teenage brother, I will keep these in mind.

Happy TT!

Anonymous said...

Great list idea, and something that all parents of teens should watch out for. I think if a kid who is normally open becomes very secretive it is a definite warning sign. So far I've been very lucky with my two, and hope that luck hold out with my baby who is a preteen. Happy TT :)

Anonymous said...

That's an excellent list. Very informative for parents of teens.

Happy TT, and thanks for visiting mine!

pussreboots said...

I was a completely boring teenager; I stayed home and read books. Happy TT and thanks for stopping by.

Jenny McB said...

After being a sped teacher in high school, I just think high school is geared to girls, not boys. Boys get bored and look for excitement or stimulation...

Great list, thank you for sharing.

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Ugh. Can I stick my head in the sand and be in denial about this???

Nope, didn't seriously think I could.

These tips are important, Lori. I hope none of us have to remember them and be alarmed one day.

Emmyrose said...

a very helpful post :)

Happy T13!

Anonymous said...

Speaking as a reformed high school party girl... When I started dabbling I started carrying a purse that I would never let out of my site, run up to my room to change before dealing with anyone & also girls have it easier if their eyes are red they get away with saying it was because they were crying...
I think your list is great and I hope that the parents out there really take it to heart. Kids are starting younger and younger...

tommie said...

what a great list...I hope I never need to remember it.

thanks for visiting my TT.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for dropping by, Lori. Glad you liked my TT.

I am glad to know ya made it through!! Since mine are 2 and 4, I haven't experienced this yet, but I'm tucking this away for future reference! Thanks. :)

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

I am just too lucky that I had passed all these. When my only son was a teen-ager, times were different and he has never given me any problem with any of these lists. I'm sure your lists would be very helpful to those future mothers of teenagers to be. Thanks for sharing.

Chelle Y. said...

I am just enjoying my son just being seven right now! :)

You have two good looking boys there! I agree that you never give up hope with a teenager. I do not know from experience with mine, but I taught high school for nine years. Many kids who gave me problems have turened out to be great adults.

Gattina said...

I think besides the troubles with the law all adults have been like that ! we all went through the teenage stage in one way or another. One thing is true we got on the nerves of our parents too !

Anonymous said...

Scary stuff, but all signs to watch out for.

Happy TT!

Anonymous said...

It's just a stage, but a really unpleasant one. I remember how shifty my stepdaughter was when she stole money from the piggybank to get her tongue pierced....and how I agonized over her strange behavior. But she turned out fine too.

I do think you've got to read the handwriting on the wall when teenagers start acting different.

Robin said...

A lot of those sound like me as a teenager. I'm glad your son has now come safely through to the other side.

I wrote something about my own journey and my mother's handling of it not long ago. Here's the link if you'd like to read it:

http://aroundtheisland.blogspot.com/2007/07/no-market-for-used-teenagers.html

Joyismygoal said...

I raised 4 and i know I was really lucky and blessed

Anonymous said...

Very interesting list. No doubt it will be very useful for parents of teens, or teens-to-be.

samulli said...

Wow, when reading this I am just glad again that I don't have children. And I'm glad that I wasn't like this when I was a teenager myself - although I guess I was bad enough with my mood swings and tantrums. LOL

Tilly Greene said...

Great list darlin' and you have so much to be proud of too!

Hugs :-)

Joan said...

thanks for coming by! I hope to peruse some more TTs after I get home from work this PM. I think most mothers of adult children can tell you that teenagers go through lots of stages that put parents through misery and make them afraid that the child is headed down the wrong road -- but often it IS just a stage. I believe that their early training and the values that were taught them eventually overcome those stages and they grown into productive citizens.

Tink said...

I don't have kids, but this is a wonderful post for everyone. There are always teenagers around to watch over. Good list!
Thanks for visiting my Maia pictures TT!

Susan Bischoff said...

good list, thanks!

Jill said...

Ok, first of all, you don't look like a woman that has children my age!!!
At least, you notice the change in him, and you should have do the right thing with him, because he seems to be better now!!
And it is awfull to see some young people doing that to theirself. I'm a teacher and I see some waisting their future like that, and my heart is braking and they are not my full time student!!

Ann Aguirre said...

Ack, I hope my kids won't do anything dumb. They're too young right now. But good information to have.

Darla said...

Good list. It really makes me appreciate my kids. Glad to hear your son's doing well now.

Janet said...

I know I went through a phase like that in high school...not everything on your list, but quite a few!

30plusteacher said...

A great list and I'm sorry you had to experience some problems first hand, but sounds like he's on the right track now.

The military is a great place for many young people.

Thanks for visiting my 13!

Qtpies7 said...

For awhile my middle son was leaving at all hours of the morning, and returning before we woke up. Sometimes we'd catch him, though. It drove us nuts and scared us silly! What was he doing? We searched his room, grounded him, lectured him. He maintained his story, he was just out at the river talking to God.
We tried telling him if that was all he was doing he should be able to TELL us when he was leaving the house,but no.
It turned out he was telling the truth. And when school started up and he got a little lesson on drugs he told us he now understands why that made us so worried and why we searched his room and threatened to take him in for drug testing! (this kid is NOT an early riser, he sleeps 12 hours and is still a slug, this was WEIRD behavior!)

Joely Sue Burkhart said...

Oh, dear, I'm not looking forward to the teenage years!

Music Notes said...

Great advice.

Thanks for visiting.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to take these to heart. Mine have a ways to go but just in case I will definitly be on the lookout.

BTW, your sons have the sweetest smiles. Probably from mom.

Thank you for visiting my TT last week. This week I'm thanking my fellow TTer's. Come by and get your thanks!

Anonymous said...

I did some of this.

Teens can fool you. Glad you son turned out OK!

My kids are 14, 11 and 11. The fun years are just beginning. Thanks for the reminder.

Sandee said...

Good list. I lived through this and finally he got smart and straightened out. It's a nightmare. Hope you aren't going through this. Have a great TT. :)

elementary historyteacher said...

Great list and I enjoyed your pics of your sons.

Thanks for visiting.

Unknown said...

no comment....

The Gal Herself said...

This was very important. No one thinks their teen will get in trouble, and yet so many do, so it's essential that parents keep this in mind. 'This won't happen to me ..." Can't afford to think that way! Thanks for the reminder.

Heather Rae Scott said...

Awesome post. I have two boys, my oldest is 15, so this is very, very helpful. I'm so glad you dropped by my blog and God Bless your Navy man.

Carina said...

Thanks for the tips. My toddlers will be teens before I know it. Or so I'm told. What a frightening thing it is to be a mommy.

katherine. said...

Mama's of teens need special vision don't we?

Denise Patrick said...

Great list for any parent of teens. We never had any problems with our two, and I'm glad yours turned around, but sadly, too many parents go through this.

Happy TT!

Lori's Light Extemporanea said...

I always wanted to smack my mother upside the head because she never got onto my brother for being a burgeoning alcoholic as a teenager living in her house. Some of these are things that he did.

RYC: Thanks...I was surprised and delighted by the compliment! Happy TT!

Anonymous said...

I so feel for you.
But I am so glad that he's doing well.
Your Wordless Wednesday made my eyes well up with tears.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my 13.
Frances

Sandy M said...

I worked at a company where a lot of the guys kept Visine in their pockets... and had no idea why until someone told me. That is a good thing for parents, bosses, anyone to look at.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a teen, but I remember what I was like as a teenager and I'm scared to death.

Anonymous said...

Great list and very informative for parents.

Dorothy said...

My youngest was the best liar in the world. I found out the hardway that she was an alcholic at thirteen. Her sisters even covered up for her. That, thank goodness was a long time ago. They have kids in college now.