Teenager Stories

[Holladay]

I think this will be interesting. Not your teenage years, but your kids/G-kids.

I thought that if I raised my kids correctly: right/wrong, tenants of honestly, morals et al. I wouldn't have to worry too much. WRONG. My kids are past that now, thank goodness.

Ex. "This driving cars is easy" said 16 yro son, then wrecked two cars. Sneaking stuff out of the basement, Popped for smoking weed...had to bail her out. "Hey Dad a great movie, Woman with the Dragon Tattoo" at aged 13 I had the V chip set at PG 13 but found out it was "Not Rated" therefore by passed the chip. (Throws hands up in disgust and futility)

Glad I don't have youngsters now days: the internet, social media, CRT, college.

All generations have had to deal with this throughout the ages. "Elvis The Pelvis", the Beatles are the Devil, Lizze Borden, the Menendez brothers

Of course I was an Angel, my halo was held up by horns:)

Thoughts? Stories? Don't want this to go to the DC thread.

[Why Not?]

Lol. I like the Lizzie Borden inclusion.

As for me, not quite there. My oldest is 12. I did, however, get my first middle of the night call from the police on him last week. He had spent the night at a buddy's and they had challenged each other to stay up all night. At around 3am, they got bored and tired so they went for a walk. Cop on patrol saw em about 1/4th mile from his friend's house right near Deanna Rose. He didn't get in trouble (by the police, got a nice talking to from me) and they let his friend's mom pick him up. She felt terrible but I wasn't bummed at her at all. Unless you padlock the doors, if they want to go out, I guess they're going out.

Even though he had a couple years head start, I would've easily bet his younger brother would've earned me my first cop call. Oh well, hope that's the only one of those I ever get but I'm not counting on it!

[Holladay]

My oldest is 12

You are not even started.

[Holladay]

I am not sure which are harder, girls or boys. Both have issues.

[Why Not?]

You are not even started.

I know it.

[Mephistopheles Janx]

Lol. I like the Lizzie Borden inclusion.

As for me, not quite there. My oldest is 12. I did, however, get my first middle of the night call from the police on him last week. He had spent the night at a buddy's and they had challenged each other to stay up all night. At around 3am, they got bored and tired so they went for a walk. Cop on patrol saw em about 1/4th mile from his friend's house right near Deanna Rose. He didn't get in trouble (by the police, got a nice talking to from me) and they let his friend's mom pick him up. She felt terrible but I wasn't bummed at her at all. Unless you padlock the doors, if they want to go out, I guess they're going out.

Even though he had a couple years head start, I would've easily bet his younger brother would've earned me my first cop call. Oh well, hope that's the only one of those I ever get but I'm not counting on it!

Is there a curfew for minors where you live? I'm curious to know under what authority he was able to force them to call a parent and detain them until they arrived.

[Holladay]

Is there a curfew for minors where you live?

Great question. We live out in the country. I don't think is such a thing.

[Why Not?]

Is there a curfew for minors where you live? I'm curious to know under what authority he was able to force them to call a parent and detain them until they arrived.

You know what? That is a good question. I didn't give it much thought and I guess I assumed there is one but I'm not having much luck looking it up. The call came in when we were asleep and my wife answered and told me and I just kinda made sure he was okay and on the way back to his friend's and then went back to sleep. Never gave it much thought again since nothing really happened. I'm going to research this further. Thanks for brining it up

[Baby Lee]

Is there a curfew for minors where you live? I'm curious to know under what authority he was able to force them to call a parent and detain them until they arrived.

'Authority' is likely, first off a community where it's a good guess that the parents will be more grateful than hostile, and will exercise authority over their offspring sufficient to keep the minors from making a stink, . . . and likely 'soft' authority where the officer didn't so much detain them forcefully and compel them to call parents, as they persuaded them it's best to stay with the officer and contact the parents for rendez-vous, and finally the implicit final decision that, so long as things went smoothly, the only consequence would be reuniting the minors with the parents, tip of the cap, and have a good evening.

[Mephistopheles Janx]

'Authority' is likely, first off a community where it's a good guess that the parents will be more grateful than hostile, and will exercise authority over their offspring sufficient to keep the minors from making a stink, . . . and likely 'soft' authority where the officer didn't so much detain them forcefully and compel them to call parents, as they persuaded them it's best to stay with the officer and contact the parents for rendez-vous, and finally the implicit final decision that, so long as things went smoothly, the only consequence would be reuniting the minors with the parents, tip of the cap, and have a good evening.

I would venture to say that he likely implied they could be in trouble with the police if they didn't call a parent to come pick them up. If there is no curfew and the kids were not committing, or suspected of committing, a crime... then the officer simply used his position to get some kids off the street because he didn't want them there (whatever his internal motivation be it their safety or his thoughts on where kids their age should be at that time of day).

He could have just hung back and watched them and let them have their 3AM stroll while making sure they were safe when they were doing absolutely nothing wrong. Some of my best memories were of late night / early morning strolls through my neighborhood as a kid.

Either way... we are both just guessing as to the exact interaction they had along with the officer's motivation. I just prefer it when officers do things according to law vs their personal beliefs on child rearing and what times of the day are age appropriate to be walking down a sidewalk... so I ask questions like I did.

[Why Not?]

'Authority' is likely, first off a community where it's a good guess that the parents will be more grateful than hostile, and will exercise authority over their offspring sufficient to keep the minors from making a stink, . . . and likely 'soft' authority where the officer didn't so much detain them forcefully and compel them to call parents, as they persuaded them it's best to stay with the officer and contact the parents for rendez-vous, and finally the implicit final decision that, so long as things went smoothly, the only consequence would be reuniting the minors with the parents, tip of the cap, and have a good evening.

Yeah that pretty much sums it up exactly. I am still curious on if there is a curfew ordinance , so I'm gonna look into it, but since my son's "consequence" from me was to write a thank you letter to the officer for helping keep him safe, I was certainly more grateful than hostile.

[Why Not?]

I would venture to say that he likely implied they could be in trouble with the police if they didn't call a parent to come pick them up. If there is no curfew and the kids were not committing, or suspected of committing, a crime... then the officer simply used his position to get some kids off the street because he didn't want them there (whatever his internal motivation be it their safety or his thoughts on where kids their age should be at that time of day).

He could have just hung back and watched them and let them have their 3AM stroll while making sure they were safe when they were doing absolutely nothing wrong. Some of my best memories were of late night / early morning strolls through my neighborhood as a kid.

Either way... we are both just guessing as to the exact interaction they had along with the officer's motivation. I just prefer it when officers do things according to law vs their personal beliefs on child rearing and what times of the day are age appropriate to be walking down a sidewalk... so I ask questions like I did.

My best guess would be that they were in really close proximity to Deanna Rose (not sure if you're in the KC area or know what that is, but it's like a kid's zoo/farm center) and he may have initially thought they were up to no good or trying to sneak onto the property. Then he probably just played it out from there.

[Buehler445]

'Authority' is likely, first off a community where it's a good guess that the parents will be more grateful than hostile, and will exercise authority over their offspring sufficient to keep the minors from making a stink, . . . and likely 'soft' authority where the officer didn't so much detain them forcefully and compel them to call parents, as they persuaded them it's best to stay with the officer and contact the parents for rendez-vous, and finally the implicit final decision that, so long as things went smoothly, the only consequence would be reuniting the minors with the parents, tip of the cap, and have a good evening.

Good post.

I know in my case, given the description here, I’d have been happy for the call.

Yeah that pretty much sums it up exactly. I am still curious on if there is a curfew ordinance , so I'm gonna look into it, but since my son's "consequence" from me was to write a thank you letter to the officer for helping keep him safe, I was certainly more grateful than hostile.

Right on. That’s good punishment.

I’m here to lock down ideas. My daughter is 7 and periodically pops an attitude so I’m thinking teenage years are going to be not awesome. My son is stubborn as a geriatric mule. I have no idea what to expect from that kid.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Nothing good happens after midnight. Kids wondering the neighborhood at 3 am is asking for trouble. Cops did the right thing getting them home.

[Holladay]

Still wanna hear some stories:) Prolly most inconvenient, but still pithy.

[displacedinMN]

Start out as a hard ass. You can always let go later. You go later. You can't go the other way.

[HayWire]

I've got everyone beat. Mine are 10, 19, 24.

I've already been threw it. In the middle of it. Getting ready again.

[oldman]

We were pretty lucky. All 3 wrecked a car, 2 totaled, but other than that, they didn't get into much trouble. It might have been that the Vice Principal was my wife's nursing school roomate's husband and so we knew everything. The funniest trouble was when one of them wrote a piece in the school newspaper about what she thought was too much money being spent on sports. Not popular with the jocks and their parents.

[RunKC]

Mine are 5 and 2 so I have time. But I think it will in many ways be easier.

“Find my friends” tracker on iPhone will let me know where they are at any time when they get an iPhone. They won’t be able to sneak in and out of the house without me knowing due to our security system.

The key IMO is going to be the iPhone. We made a decision to not allow them to have one under any circumstances until they are 16 and can drive. No pressure will force our hand

[Lzen]

My three are grown (youngest will be 20 next month). Boy, I could tell you some stories. Thank God we all survived those years.

[stevieray]

I've got everyone beat. Mine are 10, 19, 24.

I've already been threw it. In the middle of it. Getting ready again.

oh yeah?

28, 25 and 8.

When it's all said and done, I will have raised kids for 38 years. My youngest will graduate when I'm eligible for Social Security.

[ThaVirus]

The key IMO is going to be the iPhone. We made a decision to not allow them to have one under any circumstances until they are 16 and can drive. No pressure will force our hand

I'd be surprised if you hold fast here. Society changes so quickly. In the mid-2000s pretty much only high school students had cell phones. In the mid-2010s I noticed many middle school/junior high students having cell phones. It's early in the 2020s but now many people I know with elementary aged children (8-10) are getting them cell phones.

[Hydrae]

So, my granddaughter is 13. Her parents went out of town for the weekend, leaving on a Friday. GD is staying with a friend. The girls are acting up and the mother at the house decides enough is enough and sends the kids home. GD catches a ride with another mother and tells her to drop her off at the park, her dad is going to pick her up. So, at 10 PM, in the pouring rain this brilliant mother drops her off at the park.

Fast forward an hour or so and low and behold no one knows where GD is at and she is not answering her phone. My daughter calls us and my sons and I take off into the rain to look for her. Not surprisingly she was found at the back of the park with a couple of boys. Thankfully, still fully clothed, etc but still in a large amount of trouble!

Parents were a little pissed at the mother just dropping a 13 year old off in the rain without checking with the parents to verify the story but the GD lost her phone for a few weeks and knows that she will be watched more closely than ever going forward!

That was the oldest. The second one (red head, quiet) is the one I think is going to be more trouble when the time comes.

[notorious]

oh yeah?

28, 25 and 8.

When it's all said and done, I will have raised kids for 38 years. My youngest will graduate when I'm eligible for Social Security.

LMAO

That's awesome Stevie. I think I'm a little on the old side when a similar aged friend of mine just graduated their last and our youngest is 3 1/2 years old.

Kids are awesome, though. Easily the most enjoyable part of my life.

[Holladay]

lost her phone for a few weeks

You cut to the bone with that one.

I wasn't a spanker. Tried time out, nope, tried no tv, nope, tried grounding, nope, tried bedtime at 6:00 in the summer, nope.

But god forbid take away their phone, true hysterics. They think it is their given right. No it is a privilege. One that can be earned. You have the right for food, clothing and housing. The rest are earned.

And, it seems over time as 3 yro get phones, it will be even more effective.

[RunKC]

I'd be surprised if you hold fast here. Society changes so quickly. In the mid-2000s pretty much only high school students had cell phones. In the mid-2010s I noticed many middle school/junior high students having cell phones. It's early in the 2020s but now many people I know with elementary aged children (8-10) are getting them cell phones.

Our neighbor has a 7 year old daughter with an iPhone. Granted it’s got that software called BARK parental control to basically restrict everything but pictures and text and visibility to everything, but I still don’t like it.

Your fucking kid does not need an iPhone. Get this a tracker phone so they can contact you in case of emergency.

It’s gone way too far

[HayWire]

oh yeah?

28, 25 and 8.

When it's all said and done, I will have raised kids for 38 years. My youngest will graduate when I'm eligible for Social Security.


That's scary. I'm not as "vintage" as you but the wife and I had a talk the other night about being "alone".

We're at 15 years and have had about 6 months of "us" time.

[displacedinMN]

Kids would rather lose an arm or a parent than losing their phones.

[DaneMcCloud]

Our neighbor has a 7 year old daughter with an iPhone. Granted it’s got that software called BARK parental control to basically restrict everything but pictures and text and visibility to everything, but I still don’t like it.

Your fucking kid does not need an iPhone. Get this a tracker phone so they can contact you in case of emergency.

It’s gone way too far

Maybe where you live but not where I live. My oldest has had a phone since the beginning of 6th grade and my youngest will get a phone probably a year earlier.

My wife installed software to not only track their phones but battery status and other options. We also track all of their online behavior on their iPad's and PC's and fortunately, we haven't had any issues to date.

That said, shit can get crazy here in LA so I want my kids to have the ability to call or text immediately. Just a few years ago, one of the elementary schools went on full Lockdown because some nut was swinging a machete in front of the school. Another lockdown happened because some nut jumped the 8 foot tall fencing around the school.

Fortunately, the police arrived quickly in both cases and no one was injured but the kids didn't have cell phones at the time, so my wife and I were pretty much freaking out when we received those emails/texts stating that the schools were on lockdown.

[notorious]

Our kids are good kids, but when they are on their electronics they get testy.

We took them completely away weeks ago and boom, they turn into fun loving kids again.

It’s never too late, and guess what? Adults are the same way..

[Buehler445]

Our kids are good kids, but when they are on their electronics they get testy.

We took them completely away weeks ago and boom, they turn into fun loving kids again.

It’s never too late, and guess what? Adults are the same way..

Yeah my daughter is the same way. If she is on it all day her attitude goes to hell. My son doesn't. He'll watch something for awhile, then he has to go find something to hit with a bat.

We make her go do other things.

[theoldcoach]

My “kids” are 45 and 42.

Enjoy them and their problems.

The problems never go away.

They just get more expensive. And then you get grandkids and now even great grandkids to spoil.

And grands and great grands are the finest things ever invented. They make your heart swell with pride and joy. And they are born knowing how to melt your heart.

Plus…..you can send them home to mom and dad!!

[ChiTown]

My kids are 23 and 20. Couldn’t be more proud of both of them. They are my pride and joy. I’ve loved every bit of my time as a Dad - all the good and bad together. It’s what life is all about :)

[Holladay]

My wife installed software to not only track their phones but battery status and other options. We also track all of their online behavior on their iPad's and PC's and fortunately, we haven't had any issues to date.

Good point. If you are smart enough, but back when, I am not sure that tracking was available. Nice to know that parents can be "big brother". Hopefully they don't know that you know:) Or maybe better that they do know???

[Holladay]

I want my kids to have the ability to call or text immediately.

I never viewed their phone as a safety device. Good point.

[Holladay]

And grands and great grands are the finest things ever invented. They make your heart swell with pride and joy. And they are born knowing how to melt your heart.

Not there yet, just glad I got through the teenage years!

[Holladay]

all the good and bad together. It’s what life is all about

True. Time to contemplate my belly button on all of the above responses.

Tech is good and bad. Done contemplating:) Surprise!

[DaneMcCloud]

Good point. If you are smart enough, but back when, I am not sure that tracking was available. Nice to know that parents can be "big brother". Hopefully they don't know that you know:) Or maybe better that they do know???

My oldest knows because I told her flat out "Mom knows every website you visit, has read every post you've ever made and knows where you are at all times because she tracks your phone".

I'm a straight shooter but we also trust our child to make the right decisions, so there's no reason to hide the fact that we're aware.

IMO, parents need to be more diligent than ever when it comes to online policing.

[Deberg_1990]

I lock my teens iPhones down with restrictions

I also use ‘find my iPhone’ and ‘life 360’ apps once they started driving.

My kids are pretty good overall. We keep a pretty tight leash.

[BWillie]

Not having kids is AWESOME. I do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it. Highly recommend it.