Fun Friday – 4 Things teens don’t tell you

Sometimes being a parent is like portraying a detective. When it comes to teens, you have to dig, prod and pull information out of them. It’s easy for them to communicate when they want something, but when you want further information, they clam up.

Recently, I have discovered four things my teens did not tell me…but I discovered.

1.      I borrowed your car

When my son was home during a school break, he routinely went out for an evening run. Sometimes he would take his brothers car and stop by the store. As he left one evening, he yelled up the stairs to me, “Ma, I’m leaving, I’ll be back in a little while.”

My son was out the door and returned within an hour, and that was the end of the story…until morning. 

My son who towers over me at 6’4”, had borrowed my car. He left evidence. I told my son, “I know you borrowed my car.” 

“How did you know, I didn’t move the seat. I drove squished up,” he said. 

“You changed my radio station,” I told him. 

“Oh.” 

2.      I may have lost a school book

It would have been nice to hear my son mutter those words above. However, it didn’t happen that way. It was during fall registration as we stood in line waiting to pick up my son’s schedule. Before we could proceed, the volunteer worker handed us a slip of paper that contained the sentence “balance due $80 – lost book fee.” 

I told my son, “I didn’t read that book, nor did I lose it.  Why should I have to pay for it?” My voice elevated an octave. 

3.      My lunch account is low

Telling me that his lunch account at school was low, would have been the easy thing for my son to do. Who wants to do things the easy way? Obviously not my son. Instead he waited for me to receive a note from school stating, “Your child’s lunch account is

-$4.85. 

4.      I want a pet (that I’ll leave for you to take care of)

Over Christmas break my son mentioned that he wanted a dog. I suggested he wait awhile and think about the responsibility. I didn’t hear any more talk of a dog. A week went by, as I was relaxing with a book, my son phoned me and said, “Ma, we’re picking up my dog.”

The next thing I know, a teen, his dad and a dog arrived in my living room. The seven week old puppy was like having a newborn baby. She’s pooping and peeing everywhere and my son has gone back to school. He’s lucky his little pal is growing on me.

A new addition to the family

I have learned to ask probing questions where my teens are concerned. Have you ever had to pull information from your child?