The onset of teenage years stirs a revelation in the teen’s life as well as the parents. For the teenager, the fresh fragrance of independence and a new family of friends marks the beginning of an exciting phase in their lives. At the same time, the parent is left stunned and feeling a little disconnected while trying to admire the independence and sensibility that starts to take root in the child they once fussed over.

So, we know parenting teenagers can be exhausting, irritating, tiresome, and frustrating with speckles of exhilaration and contentment. It’s more complicated than breastfeeding or even giving birth! We asked our moms next door to sum up their experiences of parenting teenagers, and somehow we touched upon puppies, cats, Laxman Rekha, and cannonballs!

If you carefully zoom in to the current teenage-parent dynamics, you’ll uncover how these uber-smart teenagers are also parenting their parents! So be prepared for some laughter and tears as you walk down memory lane with our supermoms. 

“Having raised two twin daughters, I’ve realized that teenagers have lost their capacity to hear. So if you want to communicate with them, please use Snapchat. You will definitely get an instant response. 

Have you tried asking your teenagers to make their own bed? I’ve learned a trick. I take away their most prized possession – their phone, and voila! they manage to recreate the magic of an incredible hotel bed.” – Tejal Remedios

“Dealing with two teenage daughters has made me realize that there exists a virtual ‘Laxman Rekha’ aka boundaries in my household. However, it took me a while to acknowledge the importance and the need for these boundaries.” – Devina Behl

 

teenage moods

“Raising my teenage girls has been physically and emotionally very challenging. I always thought I knew how to raise kids. I wasn’t going to make the same mistakes that my parents did! It turns out every generation is different. So it didn’t work that way. There is so much I didn’t know and wasn’t prepared for till teenage years came along…I didn’t know that this generation is not ready to listen to a NO. Kids have a mind of their own, and as a parent, I realized that whether they were right or wrong, the only option I had was to support them and be by their side. No amount of reasoning ever persuaded them to choose otherwise. They seem ever so resilient with their opinions, and any advice always backfired like a giant cannonball!

In retrospect, I understand and respect them as individuals who demanded an explanation every time I disagreed with them. This generation, my daughters, are smart, intelligent, and have a practical approach to every situation. I feel they know how to experience and enjoy life, and it’s wonderful to be that way!

As a mother, I was under the impression that I would raise and mold my children, but my kids had other plans. I have changed as a person and grown with them. At times I even feel ashamed to have had such narrow and biased views. This generation has proved to be selfless. They go out of their way to ensure we have a happy and healthy society thriving around us.” – Lotika Talwar

Also Read: 14 Candid Parenting Quotes on Babies by The Mom Next Door

“I have raised my teenage daughter. My journey will my teenage son is a ‘work in progress.’ They are poles apart! Their teenage years have been a puzzle for me. Raising any child is like being in a maze – you don’t know where to go or what to do, but you know you have to keep going. They have their mood swings at this age, you think you know them, but you actually don’t. They will be with you, listen to you too, and suddenly one day, you will realize they are totally different personalities. I thought being their friend or being friendly might make matters easy, but that isn’t the case. They have their set of friends. So I’ve learned to keep my role as a parent and made sure I am approachable if my son needs me.” – Ritika Bharany

“As a mother of two teenagers, my house is like a battleground. My sons were like cute little puppies who wanted to please me at all times. They have now become unfriendly cats who are unresponsive to any questions that are thrown at them. They’ve become moody and distant, and friends have become their neon lights of guidance. Just the other day, I saw my boys using perfume and spiking up their hair, all grown up, and it dawned on me that they are ready to fly the coop.” – Vibha Bhatia

“Sweet, sour, and bitter sums up parenting my teens. But, I remember the day she sat me down to reveal her most prized secret. I felt like I was being rewarded for keeping my cool and using every inch of patience I could muster.” – Sakshi Arora

My experience has taught me that it’s best to move on with the changing times with absolutely no comparison to anyone else…and that means no going down memory lane and scooping out the differences in behavior between my daughter and me.” – Benu Seth

“Raising teenagers in today’s era is like talking to adults with varied viewpoints and guiding them at the same time. In a flash, my little children (yeah, they are teenagers!) become my friends who laugh, chat, share, tease, and also agree to disagree.” – Meenakshi Kapoor

“Teenagers may seem impulsive, but they are very perceptive. Recently, my daughter had a terrible day, and through all her crying, she said – I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to make sure I do the right thing and do my best. I was surprised by her level of maturity.” – Devishobha Chandramouli

“Teenagers enjoy their own bubble and love spending time alone or with their friends. I try to have healthy conversations with my daughter, encouraging her to be transparent with me. I’ve learned to listen to her reasoning and understand her point of view”  – Rachna Sethi

“You don’t raise teenagers; they train you in the ways of their world. Very often, they guide their old school Mumma into their ‘new age’ world. The beliefs, the rights and wrongs, the culture and traditions are all engrained in them by the time they blossom into teenagers. Now it’s all about fine-tuning. The more you go with the flow, the more they learn.” – Pooja Makhija

Also Read: Childhood Stress: How to Facilitate A Stress-free Environment for kids

“If you treat your teenagers as adults and then ponder over their reasoning and explanations, you will realize that they are right. By respecting their individuality, we open the door to two-way communication, and that’s the beginning of a beautiful teenage bond!” – Anita Makhija

“Building a rapport and using the right tone of voice has proved to be my secret ingredients in parenting teenagers. I have chosen to love them for who they are and not what I want them to be.” – Stuti Khanna

Photo by KoolShooters from Pexels; Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels