Teens with different looks

[Foam]

Popcorn- What do you mean?
Julie- Yup. And they're the ones always wanting me to call them wherever I am..I have to spend my own money to be able to do that, then they get mad at me because I can't 'save' up.

[Kfamr]

If my parents say something aobut my friends, I tell them to take a look at theirs! ... Oh wait, there's not that many to look at!

[Uabassoon]

I can totally understand about being cautious with their kids friends, you all might not understand it now but you have children you will. Now I know that I'm all for letting kids be themselves up to a point. If a kid wants to dye their hair or get a peircing and it can later be removed then I say go for it. As I said before I have tattoos, but that doesn't mean I'd let my kid get one until it was at least 18 because a tattoo is something that you can't easily get rid of. But growing up it didn't matter what my friends looks like or how well they did in school I was not allowed to hang out with them unless my parents met them. Which ment they came over to my house for dinner or something like that so my parents could get a chance to talk to them and see if they felt comfortable with them. While I know it's kind of a pain and you think you're parents should trust you, you need to see it from your parents point of view. Would you trust just anyone to take your dog on a walk? Well that's how your parents feel about you, they love you and don't want you to get hurt. I learned it's always easier to say ok and let them meet your friends because then the next time you want to go out with them there's no problem. It's so much better and easier than always fighting about it.

[wolfsoul]

I'm glad that my parents couldn't care less what my friends look like. My mom is very critical...she will say "Whoa, you're friend sure is a big girl." And she will point out alot of things, but she's not going to ban them from being with me. I have alot of friends who do drugs, and she knows, and she just says "Maybe you shouldn't hang out with them." But she hasn't given a direct no.

[babolaypo65]

My parents were the same as yours uabassoon. They wanted to meet and spend time with my friends before I was allowed to go out with them, over to their houses, or, later, to ride in cars that they drove. It seemed sooooo silly when I was a teenager, and i was always mortified by them and angry at their intrusions, and what I thought was their lack of trust of me...
Last month my nephew went to prom with an older girl and they had an "after party" at one of the friend's house... my sister and i called the house twice just to make sure the parents were there, and we both feel strongly about meeting and getting to know the friends before letting my nephew....well, you get the idea, turns out we don't think our parents were too strict after all...

[primabella]

Originally posted by Kfamr
... Oh wait, there's not that many to look at!

Ooo that's gotta hurt!

[Logan]

My parents are always on my back, and even object against my friends without getting to know them just because they look like they might be a smoking druggy or something..I can't dye my hair until I'm 14. Even then it has to be natural colors. I'm not aloud to get my belly button pierced til I'm 15, and no cell phone until 15 either. I don't know what they're holding back on..

I'm a mom and I take a bit of offense at how you describe your parents. You're saying that they are going to allow you things at 15 and 14 that I can't imagine. My daughter is in 7th grade. She will not be dyeing her hair, getting extra piercings (she has one hole in each ear now), nor will she get any tattoos while she is under my roof and having her expenses paid by me. She knows this. She does have a cell phone, but it was provided by her father, and he pays for it. He wants her to be able to call him when she is not here at home. It is used for that purpose only. She will dress appropriately at all times. That's just the way it is. She doesn't resent me for it, just understands the rules. She gets to do a lot of things, have lots of things (as much as I can afford), she gets good grades, she works hard and is a good girl, not a goody two shoes type, but an obedient, nice girl. I hope that it will continue to be that way.

I meet the parents of her friends and I meet her friends. I encourage her to have them here in our home. I don't allow her to go off places without adult supervision most of the time. There is just too much scary stuff out there to allow that. In time, I will loosen up on that, but for now, it is my duty to protect her, not smother, but to make sure she is safe. I don't think that she would say that I'm unreasonable. She knows my expectations and she doesn't argue with me. Her father, although we are no longer married, reinforces what I say. I'm just wondering if you truly try to see it from your parent's point of view and the fact that they may be looking out for your longterm best interest?

[Kfamr]

I could be like any other teen and *beg* for a cell phone but I barely answer my calls on the regular phone!

And the part about them not having friends, I was kidding.

[micki76]

Originally posted by popcornbird
I mean..........your parents have the right to know your whereabouts, who you meet with, who your friends are, who you spend time with, and what you do with your friends. Be glad that your parents love you enough to care. If your friends' parents could care less, you should feel fortunate that your parents care so much more about you than your friends' parents do about them. You do the best you can for Darlin, because you love her so much, and you wouldn't trust her with someone else unless you really really knew them well right? Think of it that way. Your parents love you more than the world and if they're telling you don't do this and don't do that, its not because they don't trust *you*. Its because they don't trust *other* people. Parents only do this to us because they love us. Trust me.

As for the cell phone issue, most parents get their kids cell phones for safety reasons or in case of an emergency. I remember you mentioned your dad didn't want you talking on the phone late at night. Maybe they are afraid if you get a cell phone, you'll be talking to people they don't feel comfortable about all night, without them hearing the phone ring to find out.

Just the way I feel. Your parents, and all of our parents are not strict. They're just doing they're job as a parent.

Very well said, PCB!

[Foam]

I see. Lol thanks, PCB!

[primabella]

Originally posted by Kfamr
I could be like any other teen and *beg* for a cell phone but I barely answer my calls on the regular phone!

And the part about them not having friends, I was kidding.

I knew that. lol

I don't want a cell. it would be useful but it's not even as if I go out all the time. My sister has a cell so I take hers when I go out. Or a friend will let me use theirs. I don't care for one.

I actually like it when people get piercings, depending on where they are. I know this guy today said he used a toothpick as an earring and he said it was hurting him. Like, okay I think it looked cool but if it hurts, take it out. My friend has a nose ring shaped like a star, I think it is so cute.

Sometimes my parents will be critical of my friends but I just ignore them. I make fun of their friends too, so it's all good. Plus my mom seems to know when someone isn't a "good friend". She told me that two friends I had didn't seem right to her but she never said I should stop being their friends. Anyways, these "friends" backstabbed me and put me through a lot of bad stuff. She seems to know who are the good friends or not, so I totally trust her judgment. I just don't like it when she'll see someone crossing the street who has his hair in a mohawk and tons of piercings and she'll say, "Look at this guy." I don't like that. Oh well.

Oh and something to get back to the jobs...my sister applied at this Wal-Mart and they never called her back, I think it was because she wasn't French. (Go figure ) But then they hire these people who look half asleep and doped up while bagging stuff.

[puppygrrl4eva7]

I think it was because she wasn't French.

French? Did you say French? I jsut started taking French this year, it's my favorite class! Then do you live near, or in Quebec?

Sry Didn't mean to change subject.

[carole]

Foam you have GREAT PARENTS, I know you won't maybe think so now, but when you are older you will appreciate the fact that they CARED, I had many friends who were allowed to do as they wanted, and now they say if only my parents were a bit stricter and showed like they cared.

[Twisterdog]

I'm not aloud to get my belly button pierced til I'm 15, and no cell phone until 15 either.

Well, then I must be the meanest ole' mom in the whole world, because my son is not getting any piercings until he is 18, not 15. And he's not getting a cell phone any time soon, either, probably not until he is 16, and has a driver license.

[wolfsoul]

I'd never object to letting my child get piercings or dying hair or anything like that. However, they'd have to either raise the money themselves or work for it. I'm reeeally cheap and try to spend my money sparingly.

For the parents that say their kids aren't allowed peircings, do you even mean on the ears? That's usually the only place the stricter parents will let their kids get piercings. I got mine done when I was four. I've been dying my hair since I was nine.

As for cells, I really don't care for them. It would be nice to have one, but they cost so much money in the long run. I'd probably keep mine off and only take calls on weekends so they're free.