Teenagers!!!

I think my teenage sons are trying to put me in the looney bin!

Ya know...When I was a teenager, I'm sure I was no picnic either, but sheeesh!  I was at least motivated to always do my best, and meet my obligations without reminders.  My sons (lets call them Eeny, Meeny, Miney & and Moe) are just not that way.

Eeny is a senior and heading to college next fall.  Yay!!!  However, he seems to have forgotten that the school year is not over yet and that the grades still matter.  He has Checked Out!  Third quarter is nearly done and he has 3 D's sitting out there (update he fixed them but on the last day of quarter).

He has no legit excuses.  He quit his job months ago.  Has no girl friend and really not much extracurriculars to occupy him.  So what the hey hey?!  Where's the work ethic?

He will be attending a local college, but wants to live on campus if he can swing the cost (with 4 kids no way can send them all---student loans baby).  Yet he cannot get up without constant prodding by parents or Meeny, his roomy.  He is already spending more time "hang'n with the bros" than studying or getting a job.

Yeah, I see him being the ace student on campus.  NOT!!  Guess I will have to perpetually keep my fingers crossed.  

Now Meeny has a whole other issue going on.  This kid is uber smart BUT uber lazy.  You can guess where this is going.  He has grandiose plans on being a psychiatrist but has the work ethic of a beach bum.  

Much of school has come easy to him and did not require a lot of effort.  He is a sophomore, granted a tough year, and is falling on his face.  I knew it was coming after Eeny, but I had hoped that Meeny would have learned from his bro's mistakes.  OF COURSE NOT.

He is satisfied as long as it is a passing grade.  What!!!   I would sweat over a C let alone be okey dokey with a D.  We would like him to have a choice of colleges and the potential for scholarship/grant cash too, but if he cannot bother himself to do well........  Makes me want to just scream!!   

Question....How do you make someone give a crap!?

Then there is Miney.  I think his brains fell out a year ago.  This is a kid who was in the "gifted" program in elementary, but now is struggling in what was his strongest subject.  His grades are a roller coaster ride.  He asks some of the dumbest questions.  Things we have already talked about, or one would assume a teen would already know.  Like the county he lives in.  

We gave him a planner and a stack of posted notes to put in his chrome book to use to keep himself organized.  Then we signed him up for homework club.  When I pick him up he tells me about a book he is reading for fun.  Great he is reading but WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL WORK?

Little Moe is the shining star in terms of grades at the moment.  While not "gifted" he has blossomed in the last couple of years.  BUT.... He is absolutely driving me out of my mind.  He has horrible temper tantrums like a flipping two year old.

Honestly, since when does a tween lay on the floor screaming, crying and kicking their feet.  It doesn't get  him what he wants, in fact, it usually gets him a punishment.  If he gets in trouble, he hits Miney.  If  he doesn't do his chores he blames Miney.  Then when Miney has enough and pokes at him, you guessed, he runs to mom.  

You can probably also guess that Miney and Moe fight.  Yep, they do.  A LOT.  So much so that I

want to run screaming.  I have looked at my husband and told him I want to run away.  

Finally, none of them will do their chores until I ask or scream, whichever comes first.  I made a chore chart.  Each have assigned tasks and the chart shows when I expect them to be completed. Each task has a check list so they know what is expected.  So, no excuses.  But still NO action.

You would think that they would be sick of hearing me yell and scream.  You would think that they would be sick of having electronics taken.  But Noooooo.

                                                     I think I need to lay down for a moment.


 I love all of them. I would not change my life.  However, I wonder how they will be successful when they leave here.  Life is hard and requires hard work.  We have told them that repeatedly.  I guess only time will tell.

Illustrations courtesy of  Clipartsgram.com
Photos courtesy of Pexel.com