Sigh.... I want a witches grin

It annoys me too.

Only in my house we have DS who's 12 and VERY hormonal; we have DD who's 2 and can try to throw some fabulous tantrums (ie. throwing herself on the floor screaming until I laugh at her and she giggles); and we have me, who's rapidly heading to the menopause.....

Who do you feel sorriest for? [hgrin]

Oh golly, do we all share the same mother? Agree about ignoring the jibes - teens can be grumpy, self-centred etc but also a total joy to spend time with.

I've handled things differently to the way my mother did with me, partly due to excellent advice here on MN, but when I was a teen it was always constant battles & confrontation with her. Recently she told me that I ought to put my foot down about DD's awful eye-make-up. I told her that she'd grow out of it, and that I would make a fuss only about improtant things. There was a silence, then Mum admitted that my way is better than hers!!!!

Like Rebecca, I'm only just entering the teen stage, but, (like teamcullen) I find this FAR easier than babies and toddlers. Getting a complete night's sleep (including lie ins) means I can tackle things now that would get all out of proportion when they were little. It's great too to be able to go out and leave them for a bit, or even send them out for the milk. I leurve not having to put seat belts on them all - I don't know why I still love that after some years ?

My teenagers are great at the moment but are young teens. I found babyhood the worst time, all that never having any time to yourself and not being able to do interesting stuff.
Now they entertain themselves alot of time, are fun and interesting to be with and don't wake up at 5am.
Expect the late teens to be harder, although I wasn't a difficult teenager, too academic and bookwormy to rebel much, saved that for university when I'd moved out. I think parents who keep adult kids at home when they are ready to move into bedsits etc have problems, but my kids have so far just got better as they got older.

Second what MusicPosy said, similar experience to mine. Give me teens compared to toddlers anytime.

Badly thought through comments is one thing, but my Typos typos typos. Fgs. What would my mother say about THAT? So "she can't just help me now" ...

Are we related Carrie. Your mother is mine. Cow pisses me off as much as when I was a teenager. I do love her hugely, but it really annoys me share can't just help me now, in the same way she couldn't just help when I was a teenager. Snide remarks all the way through my life. That's the key to avoiding the teenage troubles...At least that's what I tell myself.

It really winds me up when people look at a child and start projecting God knows how many years in the future as to what they will be like.
Why not enjoy and deal with the now?

I mean one day she will be dead, shall you start planning the coffin together?

What rot.

I'd rather have a teen than a 2 year old - not nearly as exhausting.

Teens can cause you worry of a different sort but so far I've found it far more preferable to having toddlers.