@KYLakeDiver You're quite wise! He taught my older 2 sons to actually disrespect & laugh at me. I doubt my 23 & 24 yr old sons will ever be happy because they don't know how to treat a woman because of their father.

@Myocite Unreal how much damage one person can do! I'm sorry to hear it.

But about your compliment "You're quite wise!" ... Well, even a blind chicken finds a kernel once in awhile. LOL

@KYLakeDiver oh how much damage that one man has done is unreal. Many lives were permanently damaged because of him & the family court judge looked the other way.

@Slade Thank you so much! I sure hope so. I love him so very much.

@Myocite As we know, usually about the time they start to straighten out is when they are 18 and can be legally kicked OUT the house. Yes, 18 is the age of accountability.

I have always maintained that between ages 18 to 22 is when we all get the "reality slap" where we start getting some hard lessons on what the real world is about.

Yeah at 18 to 22 one starts to think, "Okay, I want out of my parent's house but how am I gonna pay for stuff? Just how many bills ARE there?"

@CestManan Yes!!!! You're absolutely correct! But I sure was out at 18 & never wanted to go back. I worked hard to survive in college. It seems like so many, "kids" are SO LAZY.

@Myocite I was in the military from ages 18 to 21. So my entry to the adult world was a bit different.
About six months after getting out, I had to move back home because times were hard. It was miserable moving back home, worse than army basic training. I kid you not.

THAT encouraged me to get my act together so I could GTFO of my parent's place.

@Myocite I'm not a parent, but what you mentioned about being lenient is something I struggle so much with others in general. You love someone. You don't want them to be unhappy ever. Its such a human struggle. In my mind I take it and try to amplify it tenfold to have any kind of comprehension of how a mom feels for her kids. I wish I could give you the right advice for this. I think no matter what your son will have days where he feels he might hate you because he's so mad at you. Then after a while those feelings mend and he realizes you have his best interests in mind. I can only hope he matures through the issues and sees your care for what it is. I really do.

@astrosandorbits Thank you so much for saying all of that. You're very kind & generous in spirit. I know he knows I have his best interest at heart, and I'll be glad when he realizes all the things we've been talking about.😁

@Myocite thank you :) I hope the best for you and him 🧡

@JoyfulSilence Just make it a priority to go for a walk. You'll start to look forward to it & it will become part of your routine!😁

@Myocite One problem is I have to get dressed to do so. I am usually not dressed inside and comfy.

I suppose I could walk from one side of my apartment to another, many times!

@JoyfulSilence Whatever it takes!

Esp. Our kids ...not easy to hide from them. My son can guess from my voice if I’m not well or sad. I totally get ya... just know that you’re his Mom and you can be slightly louder than him just to show him who’s the boss. 🤭@Myocite

@Vivaci Thank you for your support. You're very kind.

@Myocite you’re welcome. Been there, done that...so it’s easy to understand probably. 🤗

@GuyWithOpinions One thing that helps develop the front lobe for 19 - 22 year olds is when the real world kicks them in the butt enough times.

@CestManan only as long as they learn from their triumphs and failures. Or else they fall apart.

@GuyWithOpinions You're absolutely right. I need to remember that! I'm very emotional and reactive. Thank you for reminding me of this!

@Myocite she did & I didn't appreciate it until after she passed. I was a fool.

@DropTopDig I tell my son that nobody will ever care about him as much as me in his life. He doesn't even understand what I mean. He won't realize what this means for about 40 years, like you said.

@Myocite All that time lost.....

@Myocite Family can be quite hard.

@SomeMichGuy No kidding. If you only knew! That should be the title of the book I want to write about my stem cell pioneer father & his nightmare personal life, & what a horrific series of events his untimely death caused. Fun stuff!😜

@SomeMichGuy Agree! 👏👏

@SW-User maybe it's just nature vs nurture. I've certainly instilled (or tried to) much character & goodness into him. If we mate with crappy genes we can only do so much.

@Myocite You want to blame the father? lol

@SW-User if you knew the facts you wouldn't say LOL. He's been labeled a sociopath by a forensic psychologist. He's a very bad person. I lived with him for several decades.

@smiler2012 My 2 older sons are the same way as your sister's son.. I never knew. I thought I was being a good mom by sacrificing myself.

@Myocite you are a good mother that is not the issue like my sister alas you appear to have made a rod for your own back thinking you where being kind

@smiler2012 Thank you. You're correct.

@WanderingThrough yeah. Please lie & tell me it stops.

@Myocite I’m sure it stops, eventually.

@Adaydreambeliever I never said debauchery - that seems to increase as guys get older. I said douchery or being a d-bag which is extremely common with all adolescents

@Slade you got me there.. I misread.. it's very late here and i am very tired.. so i will give you that one..

Not all adolescents. perhaps where you are? That's a whole debate.. why are kids being D-bags? It is a relatively recent thing. aka societal, cultural, busy parents, etc etc.. but it isn't normal.. and it isn't all..

We do seem to agree it's not just male teens!

@Adaydreambeliever No. My 15yr old niece is a first class diva. Some of that is just who she is but she will certainly slow down as she gets older

@Slade sounds like me & my son. 😁

@Myocite I'm really going to be cheering for your situation.

After seeing your pics I assume they have good looks to make it at least a little easier🌞

@Slade He's pretty good looking (thank you), but thankfully he cares about school & tennis. I suspect all the attention from girls distracts him but he rarely shares that.