Ideas for winding up your teenage children

[Paulclem]

My wife has come up with a good idea for winding up our teens. I wonder if you have any?

Based upon the prejudice that teens have against their parents, ie that parents are stupid, my wife decided to treat the dog as if he was a small child. This has the pleasing effect of annoying our kids. They feel they have to respond to such obvious stupidity.

A brilliant example recently was when the dog ragged a yoghurt pot. My wife imediately praised the dog for making such a lovely tree star decoration. "It even has a hole for the string through it," she said. "What a clever dog!"

It was duly hung on the tree after being glittered. It didn't stay there long. My disgusted daughter, after protesting that the dog had just trashed a pot, threw it away.

It's such fun.

[motherhubbard]

Yes, it is fun to annoy the children. That's our favorite pastime! It cracks me up when I get the reaction I was aiming for. For example, they are always right there whenever I want to talk about something I don't want them to hear. We have learned that the quickest way to clear the room is to kiss.

[Paulclem]

Yes - shows of affection affect them with disgust. As does mention of housework or dancing.

[soundofmusic]

Your wife is a genius...has it caused your children to gang up on the parents?

[prendrelemick]

Keep it simple. The well timed "YoooHooo " can be very effective when they are with their friends.

[Paulclem]

Your wife is a genius...has it caused your children to gang up on the parents?

They were doing that anyway - to me that is. A collaboration of disdain.

[Paulclem]

Keep it simple. The well timed "YoooHooo " can be very effective when they are with their friends.

Yes - very true. I always make point of engaging their friends in conversation whilst watching their eye rolling, arm folding and sighing.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

My wife has come up with a good idea for winding up our teens. I wonder if you have any?Of course. It is a favourite pastime of mine, and I do it every day. :brow: My daughter is no pushover however, and will give as well as she gets. payback is usually swift and well aimed. :D

Today I told her that she will have to help paying for the next mirror... She stared at me like a deer caught in the headlights. Then I continued by telling her that she had already worn three of them out this year... and then I had to get out of range. :smilielol5:

/Claes

[motherhubbard]

Funny

[LitNetIsGreat]

I haven't got teens yet (thank god) but I do get paid to annoy them!

One thing that is guaranteed to work is to "speak their language" but badly in an exaggerated manner. For example walk over to one of them and say "what is that you got there? Oh, that is a well wicked phone man. Does it do bluetooth and picture messaging innit?" (at the same time flick your right hand) - or something as monstrous. Without doubt they will walk out of the room, as anybody sane would, even teens, but it will annoy them like hell, innitt like. :boxing_smiley: The best bit is that they think you are being serious. They don't get irony one bit.

[kiki1982]

Haha, that makes me think about my own school days and there were teachers in our school (mainly elderly women) who used to do that kind of thing, without the gesture, then... We found it utterly hilarious and pathetic, because 'they didn't know how'. I think I am starting to realise why they did it, now... :blush:

[qimissung]

I leaned out the door and waved hello at one of my son's friends who was picking him up. My other son said, "Mom, why do you treat him like that?"

Good times.

[Hyacinthine]

I don't mean to be a spoilsport, but I think it's unfortunate to annoy someone else for sport. I know teenagers can be trying, but the fact that you and your wife are trying in return can't help the situation.

[Paulclem]

Isn't it awful? Its like an addiction. Once you've had that rush of teen disdain, you just can't stop.

I did read somewhere that it's in the teen/ parent charter that teens annoy parents and treat them as if they are stupid, and that parents act like they are. I think it might even be the law.

[faithosaurus]

I am going to have to remember this all with my parents..

[Hyacinthine]

Isn't it awful? Its like an addiction. Once you've had that rush of teen disdain, you just can't stop.

I did read somewhere that it's in the teen/ parent charter that teens annoy parents and treat them as if they are stupid, and that parents act like they are. I think it might even be the law.

Yes. When I was around sixteen my mom would wake me up earlier than I would have liked on weekends by pretending the dog was talking to me through my door, asking me to get up.

However, even now, she does dress her pugs in hula skirts and coconut bras for fun and claims they love it.

[Paulclem]

Yes. When I was around sixteen my mom would wake me up earlier than I would have liked on weekends by pretending the dog was talking to me through my door, asking me to get up.

However, even now, she does dress her pugs in hula skirts and coconut bras for fun and claims they love it.

:lol:

That's the stuff. It sounds like the knd of thing my wife does.

In the past I have sung Roger Whittaker's Early Morning Singing Song to my daughter to encourage her to get up. I don't let my lack of singing ability or complete inexperience with the guitar - which I used to accompany me - stop me in such situations.

[motherhubbard]

My teen wants to sleep until 9 am on Saturday. I smile as I wake her at 8:55. (Can you hear my evil laugh?)

[LitNetIsGreat]

My teen wants to sleep until 9 am on Saturday. I smile as I wake her at 8:55. (Can you hear my evil laugh?)

9 am??? Does your teen like early mornings???:yikes: (It is good to wind up teens but stealing 5 minutes of sleep is surely taking it too far, as much as I generally dislike them.)

The Neely household has been getting up around 10.30am+.

My world of lazy comfort is soon to be wrecked however with the approach of oncoming evil (work).:mad5:

[Paulclem]

Yes - this year I don't get any extra off. In fact I'm the first one in!! They'll all be sleeping when I begin to wend my weary way. Peraps I should reprise Roger Whittaker...

[Hyacinthine]

:lol:

That's the stuff. It sounds like the knd of thing my wife does.

In the past I have sung Roger Whittaker's Early Morning Singing Song to my daughter to encourage her to get up. I don't let my lack of singing ability or complete inexperience with the guitar - which I used to accompany me - stop me in such situations.

Let me be clear. I still resent her for it. lol

I hope, and it sounds like this is the case, that your daughter does as much as possible to annoy you back.

[Delta40]

When you see your teen hanging with their friends on your way home from shopping, raise a shoulder to your head, drag a foot behind you and limp up to the group and speak to your kid with some weird speech impediment and ask them to introduce you....

[motherhubbard]

When your teen is with her friends look at her nose and then rub yours as if make sure you don't have anything hanging out.

My husband just wakes up singing. I find the older the kids get the less they like it. I also find that when the teen makes a show about how she doesn't like the singing the songs suddenly become about her.

[Paulclem]

Let me be clear. I still resent her for it. lol

I hope, and it sounds like this is the case, that your daughter does as much as possible to annoy you back.

I think the natural run of things is for her to gather evidence as she goes along and use as a case for early installment into an old folks home. That's when we get out the blackmail photos we've taken over the years - the school photos, the old hairstyles, the cute fairy dresses etc etc. Of course there are also videos these days too. Thus an impasse is reached. It's like a natural law playing out.

[Hyacinthine]

I think the natural run of things is for her to gather evidence as she goes along and use as a case for early installment into an old folks home. That's when we get out the blackmail photos we've taken over the years - the school photos, the old hairstyles, the cute fairy dresses etc etc. Of course there are also videos these days too. Thus an impasse is reached. It's like a natural law playing out.

A sound plan indeed.

I actually appreciate my mother much more now than I did as a teen (don't we all?) but part of that is the fact that we don't have to live together! Also, I love seeing how happy my daughter is when they spend time together. So, my resentment isn't exactly torturous. No early installment in at old folks home for my mom.

One of my mother's friends, and I'm not sure what the reason for this was, had occasion to pick up her sixteen-year-old son from school while wearing a chicken suit.

[Paulclem]

A sound plan indeed.

I actually appreciate my mother much more now than I did as a teen (don't we all?) but part of that is the fact that we don't have to live together! Also, I love seeing how happy my daughter is when they spend time together. So, my resentment isn't exactly torturous. No early installment in at old folks home for my mom.

One of my mother's friends, and I'm not sure what the reason for this was, had occasion to pick up her sixteen-year-old son from school while wearing a chicken suit.

Fantastic! Not often such an opportunity arises.

A friend of a friend had a teenage son. He was into new age stuff at the time and my friend reports that in his"pyramid" stage, he would wear a pyramid hat whenever his son's friends came round. :D

[motherhubbard]

How funny! I need some costumes

[Paulclem]

Teen revenge yesterday. I asked my daughter to cut my hair with one of those electric sheep shearering devices. She did - but only on one side. She took a photo on her phone and left me with a shorn left head. The photo is at this minute gathering admiring comments on her Facebook page.

My wife came to the rescue after a suitable amount of humiliation. It wasn't helped by my putting on the wrong attachment and having the "nutter cut". Ah well - it'll grow out...by next year.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Teen revenge yesterday. :smilielol5: Brilliant. That means that you have managed to help her make use of her creativity. :D

/Claes

[stephofthenight]

eh it is not bad at all, as long as it is in good fun. As much as parents think they are the only ones, teens tend to purposly instigate things for a reaction as well. Oh the things I still do to my dearest mum and dad. Not so bad since I got my own place, but when us kids are together for the holidays its on. But they get us back pretty well, on a regular basis... I think it represents a very healthy relationship. Hey the only reason parents let us live is so they can get grandkids, well known fact. and instead of beating us, they simply play our game and attmempt to win. :D see no harm no foul... And any resentment towards parent or child for simple annoyances, is a personaly choice. I personaly choose not to resent people, but if I did resent someone it would be a well deserving person, with several well deserving acts. not a silly ordeal that could be laughed over now.

But I'm one of those frustrating teens ;) so what do I know...

(and you are all missing the best one... when your teen girl goes to put a towel in the dryer to get it warm for after shower, simply turn the dryer off, and turn the waterheater down to like 70...You have no clue what happened to the hot water, than go turn it up and enjoy your warm shower ;) see how fast she can get ready...its amazing)

*and are we forgetting our parents invented the game, why cant they play too?

[Paulclem]

Oh the complaints if there's no hot water. It is my fault -It says so in the "Teen Guide to navigating home life Volume 1". Ch4 "Parents are responsible for all that happens"

I think in that edition, I'm actually named.

[Paulclem]

It was the dog's birthday on Wednesday, and, to keep up the appearance of middle-aged madness to the teen kids, my wife baked him a cake. She then gave him four slices, and the kids only one each, declaring that he liked it so much because he knew it was his birthday.

The looks between them were classic.

[prendrelemick]

Went to collect the youngest from a party last night, (will she never learn?)a situation that is pregnant with oppotunites. I went straight from lambing a sheep, wellies, straw, various colours of mucus and other organic material attached to the trousers. I got there a little early so spent the time graphically describing what I'd been doing, to a rapt (or was it stunned) audience, while she desperately hunted for her coat.
A social triumph, if you ask me.

[prendrelemick]

:lol:

That's the stuff. It sounds like the knd of thing my wife does.

In the past I have sung Roger Whittaker's Early Morning Singing Song to my daughter to encourage her to get up. I don't let my lack of singing ability or complete inexperience with the guitar - which I used to accompany me - stop me in such situations.


Thats reminded me, I used to play Rossini's William Tell Overture at full blast to rouse them for school.

[Propter W.]

When my friends came over, my dad always made them work.

"You guys aren't doing anything. Could you come and help me a minute."

Reluctantly we all got up in the naive believe it would actually take one minute. It usually took an hour.

[Paulclem]

Went to collect the youngest from a party last night, (will she never learn?)a situation that is pregnant with oppotunites. I went straight from lambing a sheep, wellies, straw, various colours of mucus and other organic material attached to the trousers. I got there a little early so spent the time graphically describing what I'd been doing, to a rapt (or was it stunned) audience, while she desperately hunted for her coat.
A social triumph, if you ask me.

:lol:
Definately a triumph.

[Paulclem]

When my friends came over, my dad always made them work.

"You guys aren't doing anything. Could you come and help me a minute."

Reluctantly we all got up in the naive believe it would actually take one minute. It usually took an hour.

Your Dad's taken it to a new level. he must be a Grandmaster at it.

[Paulclem]

Today my wife excelled at winding up the kids. They think her quite mad, but they would anyway.

She got a new vacuum cleaner- A Henry. they are pretty good, and you can tell because they can be seen hoovering out offices all over the city, as well as builders' vans.

Anyway when the new one came, she put the old green one in the conservatory and covered it with a blanket. When my teenage daughter could stand it no longer without expanation, she asked why this was. My wife replied that as this make of vac has a face, then she didn't want to upset it when she put the new one in the cupboard.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=henry+hoover&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=814


She added that the new one was also covered up because it wouldn't be nice for it to see what happens to the old one.

My daughter's retort - "They don't have feelings - I'll throw it out", was answered by my wife's rejoinder - "How do you know? Don't be so cruel."

Several faces later, my daughter retired to her bedroom - probably with the phone book to look up the number of the loony bin.

She probably thought my laughter from downstairs later was a similar decent into lunacy.

Ah the joys...