<p>I’m pretty sure I am driving DS crazy and I’m sure he is looking forward to college in the fall… not sure my younger two sons are though since once he’s gone I will be focusing more on them.:)</p>
<p>My youngest son told his brothers that the most miserable year of his life was his senior year of high school because he was the only one at home and had to eat dinner alone with us every night.</p>
<p>I was told by my youngest ( who was scrambling to find her shoes on the way out to go to school ) that " everyone else’s mother helps them "
Of course, I never do anything …ever …for my daughter</p>
<p>I was told by my youngest that since she’s in at her first choice school (For which we will, of course, pay), I should just leave her alone and let her do what she wants now.</p>
<p>I told her she was mistaking this year for next year and she needed to go clean out her car. 
</p>
<p>I’m driving her nuts. :)</p>
<p>^^ I think it is the baby of the family syndrome…except it wasn’t like that for me when I was a teen. Really ! I was and still am very close and respectful to my mother.</p>
<p>Very good thread, poetgrl!</p>
<p>I remember someone saying that there is a distinct reason that teen age years and leaving the house for college coincide with each other! Isn’t that the truth! :D</p>
<p>I do see faint traces of maturity pop up every once in a while when back home on college breaks…every so often I hear, “Is there anything I can do to help”? But let me assure you that’s really very few and far between!</p>
<p>“I’m driving her nuts.”</p>
<p>Has she hit the nestfouling status yet or does that happen in summer?</p>
<p>Poetgrl, if she didn’t foul the nest a little bit, it would be impossible for her to fly away. She is creating the situation in her mind where college will be waaaaaay better. Hang in there! Think of this as just another unpleasant phase like teething.</p>
<p>S alternated between being delightful and unbearable that last summer.</p>
<p>Your D is just starting a little early. She’s precocious! :D</p>
<p>Don’t have girls, so can’t completely relate, but they say boys are harder til adolescence. Then girls jump ahead in the “high maintenance” department. Hang in there-- they eventually become human.</p>
<p>On behalf of young women everywhere, I’d like to apologize 
</p>
<p>My parents got off easy. I was an angel during late high school, especially the summer before leaving.
During middle school, freshman, and sophomore year though… I’ve apologized to my parents for them. They were not good. I don’t even know why because I was never told “no” so I never had anything to be angry about. </p>
<p>Though after my sister, there was nothing I could really do to make them pull out their hair. I was the breeze child :).</p>
<p>I could have written this when my youngest turned 14. She still says that I when she turned 14 I became cocoa bannas. My other two (a boy and a girl) were “easier”. Now…hang in there. I am extremely close to all my children. Yes…they all work…they have their own lives. But I am honored to say…We love each other, spend time together (with and without their significant others)…and Mr. Ellebud and I love to hang out with them. Hang in there!</p>
<p>Agree with Zoosermom-btw stubborn in the right situation can be very good.</p>
<p>I was the difficult child for my parents. Only difference I’ve noticed was that my rebellious/angry phase was much earlier(13-15) than most friends or those in my age group. </p>
<p>By 16-17, I was already starting to get along with my parents and disagreements were handled as if I was an adult. At the same time, 16-18 was the period when most of the HS friends/peer age group who were going to rebel/get angry did. </p>
<p>Was kinda weird being labeled “goody-two shoes” by some for not agreeing with their perspectives and such. I knew where they were coming from…just that I already outgrown that phase around the very moment they were starting theirs. </p>
<p>Three things which probably made things more difficult:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The fact both my parents lost their fathers before middle school age so neither understood possible conflicts which may arise between a male adolescent/teen and his parents…especially the father. </p></li>
<li><p>In China/ROC(Taiwan), rebelliousness among adolescents/teens isn’t tolerated…especially back in the '50s/'60s. </p></li>
<li><p>My father and I are probably too similar in personality types in ways that could conflict. Having two ENTJs, especially a parent-child relationship is likely to engender much conflict…especially if the parent…as most parents…believe they ALWAYS KNOW MORE than the child in question.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My youngest d went back to school this morning. She has really been a pill this week. Hyper critical of her older sister, rude to my husband and me. Yet, when I took her to a friends house and went in and said hello to the family she was so happy and delightful it made my head spin. Charming, really.</p>
<p>So last night she asks</p>
<p>“Do you think parents who have kids that are NASTY know their kids are like that or do they think they are fine?”</p>
<p>My husband and I cast sidelong glances at each other.</p>
<p>"Oh, he says,“sometimes they know but they rarely admit it. Probably not in public, you know unless they are in jail or a meth addict.”</p>
<p>“often” I add, “parents seem to overcompensate and pretend the annoying kid is great. Or they really just like the annoying kid because they are the most like them. I’ve seen that many times.”</p>
<p>“So which one of you do you think I am most like?”</p>
<p>Both of us at the same time “Uh, neither of us.”</p>
<p>The last few months of senior year, one son blew up at us, “I can’t wait to get out of here! I’m the only normal person in this family!”</p>
<p>Husband and I had to sort of agree with the “normal” part.</p>
<p>First college break, fall of freshman year, same kid, “Wow, am I ever lucky to have you two as parents. You can’t believe these parents my new college friends have…”</p>
<p>Yes, and then she calls to tell me that the new OZ movie is great and did I remember how I used to watch that with her over and over since the monkeys scared her but she loved the movie. “You were the greatest mom.”</p>
<p>I love this kid. She’s going to kill me. ;)</p>