- There is a room in your house that looks like a disaster zone, but you can barely make out what appears to be a bed and, wait! Is that foot sticking out of the rubble?
- Your teen gets dressed to “go out” and you ask if they are going to a costume party.
- You have the Urban Dictionary bookmarked.
- It is 2 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon and you’re still the only one awake.
- You can’t remember the last time you saw your house phone, much less found it free so you could use it.
- You not only know what “emo,” “metalcore,” “poser” and “screamo” mean, you can use those words in a sentence AND you can give real life examples.
- There is a strange noise eminating from your child’s living quarters, a strange, rhythmic growling and odd vibrations. Upon inquiry, you are informed that this is “music.”
- You have discovered that one of the best ways to communicate with your teen is through FaceBook Chat.
- There are permanent indentions in the passenger side of your dashboard from your white knuckled fingers.
- You call your child’s name and, from behind their closed bedroom door you hear, “What?” Then nothing. You call again and that same voice, in a slightly irritated tone, “What?” You sigh and roll your eyes at the fact that you actually have to say, “Come here!”
- “What up, Homie! “ is a standard greeting in your house.
- You have become a pro at texting.
- You get in your car, turn it on and the radio blasts something at you that is unintelligible, loud, slightly resembling music and maybe a little scary – and you instantly know the band and the name of the song.
- You catch yourself approaching your co-workers and greeting them with “What up, Homie!”
- You are realizing that you are sounding more and more like your mother.
- You have discovered that “Clean your room” actually means “Shove everything under your bed” in teen-speak.
- You have never been a violent person, but you have an almost uncontrollable urge to throttle the boy who broke your daughter’s heart.
- If it wasn’t for your teen, you’d still be living in the dark ages. Instead, you are chatting with your friend on your web cam while texting your boss and uploading your “pics” from your digital camera.
- When they are out with friends or off doing their own thing, the house seems really quiet – and really empty.
- You secretly suspect that gremlins break into your kitchen at night and eat all your food. That has to be the explanation, right? I mean, NO ONE can eat THAT much food in such a short time!
- You have a much deeper respect for your parents and what they must have gone through, but you know in your heart of hearts that when you were a teen you were never like THAT.
- You are on a first name basis with the top five college recruiters in your area.
- You now know that black eyeliner isn’t just for girls.
- Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, will be done “in a minute.”
- You know that you have a bff in your teen and you wouldn’t trade your life for anything in the world.
What are some signs you are parenting a teenager?
Table of Contents
The article treats the signs with humor: a room that looks like a disaster zone, a suddenly mysterious music taste, teen slang becoming part of the household vocabulary, and a family schedule where Saturday afternoon may still feel like morning to your teen. Under the jokes is a real parenting truth: the teen years change the rhythm of the whole house, and laughter can help parents stay connected instead of only frustrated.
How can parents communicate better with teenagers?
One of the article’s funniest clues is also practical: sometimes the easiest way to reach a teen is to meet them where they already communicate. That might mean texting, chatting online, or simply learning enough of their world to start a conversation without judgment. The point is not to become another teenager; it is to keep the door open so your child still hears you as a safe, present parent.
Why is humor helpful when raising teenagers?
Humor gives parents a little breathing room. The article describes moments that could be irritating — messy rooms, loud music, eye rolls, and unfamiliar slang — but frames them as shared family memories rather than constant battles. When parents can laugh at the ordinary chaos, they are often better able to choose which issues need firm limits and which ones simply mark a child growing into a new stage.
What should parents remember as children become teens?
The heart of the article is that teenagers may look, sound, and act very different from the little children parents remember, but they still need love, patience, and guidance. The shift can catch parents off guard. Remembering that the awkward, loud, messy parts of adolescence are part of growing up can help parents respond with steadiness instead of taking every change personally.
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