Desperate To Communicate With Our Teens
I’m a desperate housewife. Well, I mean, I’m a fan of the ABC television show Desperate Housewives. I even make my husband watch it (although I doubt he’ll admit that). I particularly relate to Lynette Scavo with her large family of mostly boys. I think the show creator, Marc Cherry, does a good job of balancing Lynette’s positives with her faults. I love how Lynette is trying her hardest to be a good mom, but still willing to admit to and learn from her mistakes. ‘Cause let’s face it ladies (and men), we all make mistakes in this long parenting journey.
Did you see last night’s episode? This season the story has zoomed ahead five years so Lynette’s children are no longer trouble-making grade schoolers. Now they are trouble-making teenagers. On last night’s episode Lynette was worried her son Porter was still friends with a kid who had recently been arrested for drugs. To find out she created a fake profile on a social networking site (much like MySpace) and “friended” her son. While on the site she discovered Porter was truthful when he said he was no longer friend’s with the teen involved in drugs and she also found out Porter wrote poetry. She was thrilled to learn something new about her son; something he would never talk to her about since teenagers don’t talk to their parents. But it took a turn for the worse when she discovered Porter had a crush on her (or umm…her online persona) and she had to break it off. But when she broke it off she accidentally signed it “love mom” and completely blew her cover.
There was a great scene where she apologized to Porter and told him she really misses talking to him and being a part of his life. It was obvious Porter was a little touched by that even though he was angry that his mom had spied on him.
It’s hard to stay connected to our teens. When they get to this age we suddenly become the enemy. They no longer confide in us. Instead they are confiding in their friends. Somewhere along the line we became these old people who don’t know anything and certainly don’t understand what our teenager could possibly be going through.
But we’ve got to keep trying. We’ve got to keep communicating with them even if they won’t communicate back. I wouldn’t suggest lying or sneaking around behind their back. When you get caught it just makes it worse. But don’t give up on your teen either. At this age teens are very egocentric and thinking of the now rather than the future. But they still need their mommy (and daddy).
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it’s the same with our 20-somethings…we can only discuss surface stuff or it becomes a big mess…usually a stormy fight with them leaving…guess it’s to be expected when they no longer live under your roof? God grant up patience!!
Thank you for this opportunity!
Count me in!
gkstratos@yahoo.com
my son is 8 going on 14. He acts so much like a tween sometimes it scares me.
I think I relate to Lynette best too.
Teenagers can be terrifying! Thanks for the info!
Yes, please, count me in! Thanks!
cjnedrow@gmail.com
My daughter is 12, Im desperate, lol.
Oh, this sounds super fun. I’d love to be entered. Thanks for participating!
I love surprises and would REALLY like to win! Thank you.
please enter me thank you
enter me
I go to the closer to daughters conference every year! Big difference in our relationship!
I love watching Desperate Housewife,unfortunately I missed this episode.
I am currently having problems with my teen daughter and am doing all I can to work it out.
I keep praying for that magic wand, you know the one that will turn my teenager back into the sweet little girl that told Mommy everything. I haven’t gotten my wish yet! I know I was a hard teen but wow, times have changed and I didn’t think I was so ‘out of date’…but I am and I am finding it harder and harder to relate to her. Any help would be wonderful!!
desperate housewives is addicting
Who doesn’t love a surprise!
I would love to win. Please enter me.
Haven’t ever watched the show but I have teens. 15, 17, 17 and 19 . Communication is the key!
I do love Desperate housewives!
enter me!
I get it with my soon to be teen already.,
Surviving the teens years was one of the hardest things I ever went through. Just remind them often that you love them no matter what mistakes they make.
Communication with teens (or lack of it) can be painful!
This Blogtoberfest is Great Fun! I would love a secret surprise!!! Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this giveaway!
My oldest is 8 going on 20. If what she is showing now is any indication, we are in BIG trouble when she is a teen!
I love Blogtoberfest! The surprise factor is so much fun!
I’d love to win! !!!!
toddlers are bad enough, but once puberty hits, forget about it.
The teenage years are quickly approaching for our family. Thanks for the great giveaway!
PLEASE COUNT ME IN ON THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY
I have my teens help me in the kitchen at dinner time, on rotation. This way I have one on one time with each of them 2-3 times a week. It is amazing how much they talk and open up when we are grating cheese, cutting up veggies, etc together. They actually look forward to helping me just so they can have my undivided attention, as we also have little ones in the house.
I have a great communication line with my teen.
I absolutely love desperate housewives, I am a religious watcher. I couldn’t believe she signed “love mom”!!!!!!!
I had absolutely no idea how difficult it would be to raise a teenage girl. I also have a 3 year old, so life is super duper crazy. It’s amazing how many similarities teenagers and toddlers have!
Well I dont’ have a teen yet – soon though in about 6 months – right now we do fine, hope it stays that way.
thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I don’t want to think about teenage years… I have 3 more to go til then!
I would love to win a surprise!
Children are so unique, one tells me everything (even the things I don’t want or need to know) and the other is a total clam.
I have 2 tweens-yikes!
I hope mine never grow up.
I’m trying to start now, to get in the habit. You know saying, I understand you’re frustrated about not being able to go outside right now, but mommy has a few more things to clean then we can go out. OF course he’s two and doesn’t understand.
And to facillatate healthy communication in the future, I tell him all the time – mostly to remind myself, You deserve love and patience and compassion and respect. Of course moms do too of course from their kids. But its important to remember I’m the grown up and I need to be patient. Even when he’s almost two and has been going through the terrible twos already for months!
I’m glad you said what you did about lieing and sneaking around – part of the respect part of my “mantra”.
I would love the chance to be surprised. Thank you!
I did see that episode of Desperate Housewives. parents do have to keep talking to their teens
THANK GOD FOR TEXTING
My kids and I always talked and never made them feel small or stupid. Kids need to talk to adults to know that they are not the first going through whatever they are going through. Its important to know they can TRUST you , and they should be able to.
I have 2 little ones however, I teach middle and high schoolers and I find that showing them respect goes a long way
Thank you again for another contest and a chance to win a great prize. Also without you and the hard work the contest would not be possible so a hats off to all your hard work.
Thank you.
camper223@live.com
I still belive that families need to sit down for dinner together more often, and just talk! surprises are great! Thanks for the chance