I'm sorry, I just find Nebraska's safe haven law hilarious, and what a change of positions for parents. Here you are stuck with a petulant bratty teen that you are still responsible for (I know you raised 'em). No more can the teen sulk and pout. No longer can the hulking male teen leer angrily at his family members making them all feel unsafe and edgy. Uh Uh little lady, you can't hold the parent hostage to your threats and temper tantrums.
I was the youth leader at our church for 8 years. I've seen every kind of manipulative teen you can imagine...also every kind of wimpy parent. Also I've seen parents stuck between uncooperative co parents or enabling Grandparents (the worst). Besides praying that 18 gets here before the child does something to destroy the family, some parents find themselves relatively helpless against this raging mass of hormonal self-absorbed destruction.
I can just see the wide-eyed huh look in the petulant brats eyes as their parents say, "Sorry, I have to drop you off so I don't kill you." That's it they're disarmed...no more weapons...no more threats....That's it! I'm sorry. I know I am cruel and heartless...hee hee...for thinking this is funny. But there are some teens that I just wish their parents could have done that too them. The only problem is, those teens probably wouldn't be the one's dropped off. They're that way usually because they have learned to manipulate their over indulgent loving parent.
Never would I drop off one of my girls, petulant or not. I'd just give them one of my looks and say, "That's what tail whippins' are for." They might roll their eyes, but they'd straighten up. Blame it on my Suuthin' upbringin'.
5 comments:
I like your thinking. I didn't have a southern upbringing but I used the same tactics to instill some respect because that is what it all boils down to. If you have taught them respect at an early age then they really don't have any manipulative power over you as a teen.
Way too funny!
That reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw,
"Grandchildren are you reward for not killing your teenagers"
Betsy
Thats great!
My husband asked me how my day was the other day and I told him I spent a good part of the day wishing my kids had not passed the age where it was legal to drop them off on a hospital door step....Im so glad to hear all I have to do is drive up to Nebraska!...not really but its a great thought to get you through a tough day.
"Sorry, I have to drop you off so I don't kill you."...lol I love it!
Oh, Amen! And I don't even have teenagers! (yet) =)
Michele
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