Thursday, March 11, 2010

Teenage Fatigue

I generally am a pretty happy person.  Well, maybe not but I can usually keep my disatisfactions to myself.
But I've been having a really rough patch lately.

Have I mentioned I have 3 teenagers?

Since the oldest #1 son is off living the high life at college I can't complain too much about him, as I'm not dealing with him on a day-to-day basis.

It's the other two alien life forms living in my house.
Yes, I called my beloved children aliens....deal with it!

Because afterall, that's what teens are....aliens.
The hormones have overtaken their brains and bodies, turning them into people I don't know anymore.
And most days, that means people I would really rather NOT know!

And it's just to the point where I can't even say a word to them without being demeaned in some way....either with a look, a sarcastic tone, a negative put down.
I've.
Had.
IT!

It's parent abuse.
It's got me depressed.
And I just want to run away.

I find myself thinking as I'm doing a chore around here, why the hell do I even bother?
Doing their laundry.....why do I bother since they'll just dump it on the floor.
Cooking meals....half the time they say they don't want to eat since it's something they suddenly don't like.
Cleaning up after THEIR dogs.....it's easier just to do it because I am tired of fighting with them to do their chores.
Why do I go through all the hassle and trouble to coupon and shop strategically so I can get the things they want and not go broke in the process?
What does it get me?   A snarl, an eye rolling, a put down.

Yes, they KNOW everything and I'm just a pitiful old stupid woman who's ready to be wheeled to the nursing home.

When school lets out in the afternoon, I spend the rest of the day/evening avoiding my own children.  

Yah, I know this phase will pass but please, can it pass a little faster?
I just don't get why mothers have nervous breakdowns when they become empty-nesters!
I'll be the mom throwing a block party the day the last kid pulls out of the driveway headed for college.

Ok, I'm done with my depressing babbling for now.
Time to go get a spoon and seek out my only true friends, Ben & Jerry.....

Sluggy

7 comments:

  1. My daughter was a breeze until she hit about 15 and a lot of changes happened both in her life and my own. Now that she's in her mid-20s, we've started relating a little better.

    Unfortunately, Kat, who's 6, might as well be 16 some days for the attitude she throws at me. Just kidding...or maybe not.

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  2. Sluggy, I'd like to offer a different perspective and a suggestion for your approach to the aliens who have invaded your home. Consider the source.

    The only one who will show you the love and respect you deserve and pay back your efforts with complete adoration, are the dogs. And they don't care if the house is clean and they don't expect you to do the laundry. Cook enough dinner for you and your hubby and whip up a nice meal for the dogs (I can tell you how!). Fuggit about the others. Do your own laundry and instead of the kids, take the dogs for a walk. Let the dogs chew and play with any items the kids leave around.

    I suggest you devote as much of your time to them as you can. Take them for lots of walks, train them some more, cuddle with them, brush them and make them your love-slaves.

    Then when your kids are feeling the effects of your neglect, you can offer to treat them as well as the dogs once they learn to respect you as much as the dogs do.

    You can get a dog to obey you, a teenager, good luck!

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  3. LOL! Aren't teenage kids great?!?! ;) Seriously, I'm with you on this - when our son (and we have just the one, thank heavens) went "away" to college, which means he moved out of our house and into the dorms about 2 minutes away, it was absolute HEAVEN in the house. Even now that he's an almost-graduating senior, I love to see him when he comes over for a visit - he's a really fun person to be around - but then I get a dose of rememberance when I walk around the house and pick up after him again... and he was only there for about 2 hours! Wrappers, nuts, remotes stuffed down in the couch, papers on the floor, empty milk cartons back in the fridge, etc. It's like having a very funny whirlwind come into the house for a couple hours.

    Anyway, while empty nesting is actually part of our marital problems now, that's on DH -- it's not part of my personal meltdown at all. I LOVE having my house back, and I think you will too once that day comes :) Suddenly, it'll be sooo much easier to remember all the fun times.

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  4. I guess this is what I have to look forward to in about 10 years huh?

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  5. My kids roll their eyes at me so much that I often think they are having a grand mal seizure.
    I know exactly what you are feeling because Anna is 18 and DJ is 14. Most days, its one or the other that is getting under my skin but the bad days are when they both are.
    If you would like to run away, I'll come get you. I'm thinking somewhere warm! And I'm sure that the two of us could pull off an amazing deal!
    Much love to you!

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  6. lol !! Oh how I can relate, except my oldest isnt at college yet...I have a 13, 16 and 18 yr old!! YIPES!! I get alot of pssssst with the eye rolling! Maybe I'll get a dog..lol..except then I would have to clean the backyard too!

    ReplyDelete

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