What is your "teenager high-water mark"?

[scrapbookbuzz]

It's a great year to turn 13! :biggrinjester:  My son joined the teen ranks this past Sunday.  :ph34r: So now both of our kids are in their teens. 

[luuknam]

2, but it's possible we might host an exchange student at some point in the future, or foster, or something. No idea if that will ever actually happen, so, I just voted 2. 

[Guest]

We can certainly relate to that! Here are a couple of facts to consider:

 

1) One of DD24's professors at college taught her to drive. THERE'S a debt we can never repay! :hurray:

2) DS19 does not want to learn to drive. He just wants to purchase an autonomous car. I don't think he has thought this thing through. (He has DS27 driving him to work this summer.)

3) DS17 is doing well with his driving, but he still has his moments. A couple of months ago we approached a light (which he has been to MANY times) which turned red as he approached. He slowly drifted to a stop RIGHT IN PATH OF THE 55 MPH CROSS STREET! I'm yelling "GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!" Fortunately there was no 18-wheeler coming at that particular time, so I'm here to type about it. I asked him why he didn't stop at the line and he told me that he didn't want to press the brake pedal too hard. I told him he needs to press that pedal as hard as he needed to get stopped before that line!

 

Anyway, the twins turn 15 years 6 months in October and will get their learner's permits. Then when we go out, we will only be able to teach at most two of the three drivers-to-be who currently live here.

 

I have had a scenario or two just like that. Once, my kid drove into a roundabout just as a car (with the right-of-way) was comin' on, and THEN heeded my furious instructions to stop! I'm like, "Stop! Stop! NO, NOT NOW, Go! Go!" I just covered me face with my hands and braced for a crunch (that didn't happen).

[Guest]

O.K. After 150 votes, let's run the statistics on "teenager high-water mark":

 

Mean: 2.87 Teenagers

Standard Deviation: 1.06 Teenagers

Mode: 3 Teenagers

Maximum: 5 Teenagers

Minimum: 1 Teenager

Range: 4 Teenagers

 

Other: 1 (But other was ZERO for nearly 24 hours! A new record!)

 

What does it all mean? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! :lol: :lol:

Said like a true homeschool dad!

[Guest]

We will have five when the oldest is 19 and number #5 is turning 13.

[maize]

Two teens at a time, max, because of the age gap. FWIW, I enjoy mothering older children much more than I did little children. Thankfully, my "UGH! TEENAGERS!" Events have been few. Although I would rather potty-train ten kids than teach one to drive.

I haven't yet taught a kid to drive, but will happily volunteer to teach all of yours if you will get ds-almost-5 potty trained for me.

 

My first 4 kids were easy. This one...

[Spy Car]

I just hit one (and thereby hit the high-water mark).

 

Bill

[JudoMom]

We can certainly relate to that! Here are a couple of facts to consider:

 

1) One of DD24's professors at college taught her to drive. THERE'S a debt we can never repay! :hurray:

2) DS19 does not want to learn to drive. He just wants to purchase an autonomous car. I don't think he has thought this thing through. (He has DS27 driving him to work this summer.)

3) DS17 is doing well with his driving, but he still has his moments. A couple of months ago we approached a light (which he has been to MANY times) which turned red as he approached. He slowly drifted to a stop RIGHT IN PATH OF THE 55 MPH CROSS STREET! I'm yelling "GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!" Fortunately there was no 18-wheeler coming at that particular time, so I'm here to type about it. I asked him why he didn't stop at the line and he told me that he didn't want to press the brake pedal too hard. I told him he needs to press that pedal as hard as he needed to get stopped before that line!

 

Anyway, the twins turn 15 years 6 months in October and will get their learner's permits. Then when we go out, we will only be able to teach at most two of the three drivers-to-be who currently live here.

 

One of the best pieces of advice I got when teaching mine to drive was to take them to an empty parking lot and teach them to slam on the brakes. Being able to say brake and have them stop quickly has saved our bacon a few times. And it's comforting to me to know they'll stop immediately if I tell them too.

[RegGuheert]

One of the best pieces of advice I got when teaching mine to drive was to take them to an empty parking lot and teach them to slam on the brakes. Being able to say brake and have them stop quickly has saved our bacon a few times. And it's comforting to me to know they'll stop immediately if I tell them too.

Thanks!  I think I will do that with the twins in October.  This was just such a shock since DS17 had been driving for about two years already.  I barely even pay attention when he is driving anymore, but that really woke me up!

[Caclcoca]

Our oldest will turn 20 one week before our youngest turns 13, so the max will we have at a time is three.  I have two teens now. 

[RegGuheert]

My mother visited us yesterday and she gave us the following kitchen towel as a present. :lol:

 

[Crimson Wife]

Oldest DD will be 19 when her sister turns 13 but depending on exactly when she transfers from the CC, she could very well be in her last semester of college. So not really in the same life stage. We don't really have a good name for early adulthood as distinct from adolescence (and to my mind, if you've graduated high school and are 18+, you're no longer an adolescent).