Getting Your Own Back On A Teenager!!!

[Tangnefedd]

This is for parents who are battling with the alien species ‘teenager’, or who have been there and got the T-shirt!


I was amused to read in a magazine, about a teenage girl who had been grounded by her mother for bad behaviour. The girl sneaked out of the house at night, and went off to the local club with her friends. Sometime later she wondered why they were all laughing, turning round there was her Mum, hands on hips, wearing nightie, dressing gown and slippers, NICE ONE!!!


This reminds me of an incident when we had teenage children.
Our middle daughter was permitted to live in a house we then owned in the city, sharing with a female lodger. It was convenient for her school where she was doing her 'A' level studies, while we were living out in the country. We had an agreement that if she wished to hold a party she asked our permission. However, my sensitive antennae picked up signals that the little darling was going to have a party without running it by us first! I decided to teach her a lesson. I waited until the party was in full swing then gate crashed! I didn’t tell her off, I just mingled with the guests, chatting up the young men, asking them what they were going to do when they left school etc. I also slipped in a few anecdotes about my daughter as an infant, as she cringed in embarrassment in the corner! I never needed to repeat this tactic. Now aged thirty, my daughter sees the funny side of this incident, I think! It is one she might consider in the future when her son reaches teenagerdom!

 

[LadyDJ]

I have a few years before I have to worry about such things....but I like the way you think Tang

 

[Tangnefedd]

I have a few years before I have to worry about such things....but I like the way you think Tang

Thanks Lady. My husband still thinks it was a bit mean, even all these years later, but he indulged her a little more than I was prepared to do, LOL!!!!

 

[Suzannah]

Good ones! Subtle (or not so subtle) reminders as to who's in charge...I like it!

I don't have a teen yet, but I once had an 18 year old working for me onboard a sailing yacht. He was lazy, vulgar, insubordinate and we were too far out to sea to really send him packing. The other crew were complaining to no end....I tried everything: pep talks, encouragement, even a few punishments. nothing worked....sooooooooooooooo.....
One night, oh round about midnight, I got up, ordered the first mate to go wake him up and tell him that he was wanted on deck. I had the cook put together a box of food and water. I ordered one of the life boats lowered to the deck ....he gets up on deck and looks like a squirrel in the floodlights....I told him that I had received permission to send him ashore, and that we would pick up the lifeboat on our way back... His eyes got very wide. I ordered him into the boat, gave him his box of food and water. he was clutching it for dear life. All the other crew were in on the game and played their parts TO PERFECTION. (They all knew me very well and knew I would never really do this...) As we lowered the life boat into the water I could hear him praying....literally! I waited until the boat hit the water and I heard him scream....Then I shouted over the side, "Do you think perhaps you might be willing to work your way???? Then it doesn't have to come to this!"

I heard: "YES, YES...I'LL DO ANYTHING...."

He was a perfect gentleman and crew member the rest of the voyage, another 30 days. At the end of his sail, he came to me and apologized...during that thirty days he had learned many good lessons, and had even managed to make friends with a few of the crew who formerly hated him for his laziness. A couple years later, I heard he had made "engineering" crew on a cruise ship. That was not an easy accomplishment...God bless him!

 

[Tangnefedd]

Good ones! Subtle (or not so subtle) reminders as to who's in charge...I like it!

I don't have a teen yet, but I once had an 18 year old working for me onboard a sailing yacht. He was lazy, vulgar, insubordinate and we were too far out to sea to really send him packing. The other crew were complaining to no end....I tried everything: pep talks, encouragement, even a few punishments. nothing worked....sooooooooooooooo.....
One night, oh round about midnight, I got up, ordered the first mate to go wake him up and tell him that he was wanted on deck. I had the cook put together a box of food and water. I ordered one of the life boats lowered to the deck ....he gets up on deck and looks like a squirrel in the floodlights....I told him that I had received permission to send him ashore, and that we would pick up the lifeboat on our way back... His eyes got very wide. I ordered him into the boat, gave him his box of food and water. he was clutching it for dear life. All the other crew were in on the game and played their parts TO PERFECTION. (They all knew me very well and knew I would never really do this...) As we lowered the life boat into the water I could hear him praying....literally! I waited until the boat hit the water and I heard him scream....Then I shouted over the side, "Do you think perhaps you might be willing to work your way???? Then it doesn't have to come to this!"

I heard: "YES, YES...I'LL DO ANYTHING...."

He was a perfect gentleman and crew member the rest of the voyage, another 30 days. At the end of his sail, he came to me and apologized...during that thirty days he had learned many good lessons, and had even managed to make friends with a few of the crew who formerly hated him for his laziness. A couple years later, I heard he had made "engineering" crew on a cruise ship. That was not an easy accomplishment...God bless him!

I like it!!!! One has to be a bit creative when it comes to keeping teenagers in line!