17 is so much better!

[mrsmac]

This is a bit of a woo hoo and also a light at the end of the tunnel for some of you with younger teens.
DD1 was 17 in Nov and since then we have been getting on so much better! Last year was really rough, she was arguing and generally being a cow and went to live with my dad for 8 months after constant fighting and arguing with DH. I was a mess, they were at each other all the time and even though it improved when she moved I was so sad at not having her home.
Anyway they talked and sorted things out and she moved back home in Nov, well our new house cause we had moved. Things whilst not always perfect are going really well (touch wood) She is accepting our decisions and rules and DH has lightened up considerably and is making a real effort with her (he is not her biological father although she refers to him as dad)
We had a great NYE party, DH let her have friends over and whilst there was some drunken silliness I was pleased at how polite and friendly her friends are. She in turn was grateful we let her have it so it was mutual love LOL
I hope this doesn't sound like I am blowing my own trumpet. I just wanted to let other mothers know IT GETS BETTER!!!

[briggsy's girl]

i'll second that - 1 and time out from your parents! i was in such a bad place with my parents at 17 so i moved interstate - still don't get along with them perfectly, but it's better than it was back then...

[Lulu]

I really needed to hear that. Really - if I had your number last night you would have had me sobbing down the line.......6 MONTHS TO GO!!! I hope.

[briggsy's girl]

oi lulu! you DO have my number - and i may not have a 17 year old (or 16.5 year old) - but i'm always here to listen if you need to vent1

[Lulu]

GGrrr I nearly did then DD2 woke up with all the excitement and wouldn't go back down....ggrrrr

[briggsy's girl]

any time day or night hunny

DH left for work at 5 this morning - not unusual for him at the moment - i'm awake at bizarro hours all the time - and if a chat helps you unwind a bit, it really doesn't matter the hour!

[Visitor8]

thats wonderful news. It's great that she came back too. I left at 16 and there was no way I was going back, I had too much pride.

[Nai]

I'm so glad to hear that!! I'm pretty sure I turned from being being completely feral and off the rails to having a semblence of common sense around 17 too.

Logically you would think that it has to get better some time otherwise there would be no hope for them turning into wonderful adults like us would there?

[~clover~]

I have to say that you are lucky!
I was a perfect child til I turned 17. Constant arguing with mum, moved out & fell pregnant.
Stopped me in my tracks though!

[mrsmac]

Lulu you can call me anytime, I feel your pain. I can PM you my number or you can get it from BG.

[Toomanytoomany]

I've found that with both my teen girls, too. Fifteen to seventeen was vile... seventeen is much more peaceful.

I can't remember the name of a book I read but it's about the stages of adolescence. They warn that at eighteen, there can be some regression back to self centredness. I have certainly noticed this with dd1, who at eighteen has gone back to thinking she's the centre of the universe,a nd has been very challenging. She left home on Monday and whilst I will miss her, I can't say I'm sorry she moved out (with some strong encouragement from us to do so LOL).

Lulu, I'm sorry you're struggling. I'm always up for a PM

[Ozziehoffy]

I'm hoping this is true of boys too then!! Man, that's still 18 months to go though...lol.

[Danni]

I have to go agree that when I turned 17 things changed a LOT. I finally realised how close I was to being an adult, and I actually moved out of home at 17, and got my own apartment in the city.

I think it was the realisation that soon enough I won't have my Mum around.