Hey!

Dianne, did you mean that parents lose interest when children become teenagers, or very young parents are not interested in children?
I know a family with very young parents, where husband actually wasn't even the father but married a girl that he loved, and she was either pregnant or just got a baby (not his baby). The baby developed cancer at about 1 yo. The mother stayed with daughter at the hospital until she.... well.. got tired I guess? she left quietly without telling anybody while she was supposed to supervise the baby during chemo. Then the husband was taking care of the girl for several years, needless to say that he was contributing all his time and forces to the sick girl who was adorable and considered him as the only person in her family (his parents did support them but lived far away). She finally got a bone marrow transplant that worked so-so for her. While she was struggling with accepting the transplant, she suddenly died from a lung internal bleeding. Everybody was so sad to learn about it...but I am just saying that teenage parents can be different. I don't know why Stephanie took it personally (especially keeping in mind the tiny house

I'm 17, Chipper.

Oh, I took it to mean that parents can, uh, sorta be "over" parenting to a certain extent by the time their kids are teenagers? While I am just on the cusp of becoming one of those parents with a teenager (he's growing up way too faaaaaast! Someone slow everything down!), I do remember my mother telling me randomly one day when I was 16 or so that she was excited for me to turn 18 because I'd be out of the house. Like, I was on my way out to do something and it was like, "Bye mom, I'm going to do such and such and I'll be back later!" "Oh, sounds great honey, and by the way, the day you turn 18, you're out of the house. Have fun!"

Hahaha, it's funny now and totally understandable to an extent due to our angsty, rebellious daughter/single mom thing we had going on at the time and we have always been close, even during the times she kept reminding me that yes, the day I turned 18, I was out on my butt. And so I was, although not quite on my birthday... I did get a few months to find a place to live, thanks mom! We are still close to this day though, so I swear, she didn't scar me for life or anything it was just one of those weird mom/daughter relationship things.

My "mother of a teenager" experience was actually pretty good. When my son was 13 there was a period of about six months when it seemed like he couldn't open his mouth without saying something snarky, but then he got over it and it was pretty smooth after that.

My "being a teenager" experience was pretty good too. I totally hated my mother when I was 12 but I didn't dare tell her about it, and then I got over it and it was fairly smooth after that.

I knew that:)

I was just trying to be funny. I didn't realize it wouldn't go over well.

Thinking about it on a deeper level, though, I did feel that my parents were not much support when I was a teenager. I had two younger brothers. My mother was an alcoholic. My mother and father did not feel able to give me any help with going to college. There was a lot of discord in our home. I got a job with the telephone company moved out when I was 18 into a tiny studio apartment, because I couldn't stand it any more. I managed to put myself through college, with no help or support from them. I swore I would never spend another night under their roof. They both died in their early sixties from alcohol/smoking related illnesses. I did get along with them, from a distance, once I was on my own. I never left my daughter alone with them.

Thank you for asking and helping me to clarify.

I had (and continue to have) a good, supportive relationship with my daughter throughtout her teen years and adulthood. I managed to (mostly) not do all the things I hated my parents' doing. I think she does feel I was a good mother and supported her in doing what she wanted in life. She has a Masters Degree and works as an occupational therapist.

It's okay Dianne, I knew you were joking.

Hooray for you Dianne for turning out better than your parents did! It's not an easy thing to do but you were able to do it, and your daughter didn't have to struggle under the same handicaps that you did.