Teens Mood Swings Roll in Like Thunder Storms

teens mood swings

Even though the weather person predicted a sunny day of mid-70s temperatures, my teens lost jeans created an un-predicted lightning and thunder hormonal outburst which threatened to become a major storm front.

Storm’s a brewing.

“Mom!! Do you know where my jeans are?” yelled Brad.

“I washed them yesterday and they should be in the laundry basket,” I answered.

The jeans in question were Brad’s favorite jeans, the ones he felt so “cool” in that when he wore them, he strutted a little.

“They are NOT there!” he lamented in a tone of voice only a teen could muster.

“Well, I don’t know where they are then, because they were there yesterday,” I answered knowing full well a storm was brewing.

“Mommmmmmm! I have to have those jeans to wear to the movie,” he insisted, since he was going to the latest action movie with his best friend this afternoon.

“I said I don’t know where they are, so have a look around your room,” I said hoping to divert the inevitable.

“MOM, I can’t find them, HELP ME!” he cried.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know where they are, they should be in the laundry basket,” I said as I imagined an umbrella forming in my hand to shelter me from the impending downpour of emotion.




And then came the rain…

“Well then I can’t go to the movie. You’ll have to call Joe and tell him I can’t go because I have no pants.  I am NOT going! Why aren’t YOU helping me?” Brad’s words rumbled like black clouds rolling in to challenge me.  I began to think my imaginary umbrella was too small.

And then came the lightning…

“Don’t you get it? I have been planning this movie for a week.  EVERYONE else already saw it! I am the LAST person to see it. I am ALWAYS the last person to see everything. We never do anything fun!” His words felt like jolts to my patience.

And then came the thunder…

“MOM! Are you listening to me? Do you hear me?”

I heard just fine as  loud thumping and crashing rattled the house. He stomped down the stairs towards me.

I waited for the rainbow I was sure would appear…I hoped.

“Mom, how can you just sit there?  I am in crisis. Where are my jeans?”

“I answered you, Brad. They were washed and in the laundry basket for you to put away.  I would check the laundry basket again or in your room. I will not help you when I don’t feel respected. When you can talk to me in a respectful voice I will listen”

The rainbow after the storm would appear anytime now…right?

He let out a huge sigh with an, “UGH, whatever!” and turned away to run upstairs.

I heard mumbling as he rummaged through the laundry basket in his room while I put my imaginary umbrella away. The house fell silent and I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip in anticipation the teen cyclone finished.

Brad stood in front of me with his clean jeans and favorite hoodie on.

“This is going to be the greatest movie ever. Everyone’s seen it!” he said.  His stance changed and the storm passed.

I have learned with teens sometimes you use an umbrella to protect yourself while standing firm in the middle of the storm and other times you choose to run and hide or yell right back at it.

During the jeans incident I held onto my umbrella and hoped it didn’t blow inside out.

“Joe’s mom is here. I’ll see ya later Mom! Thanks for washing my jeans!” he said as he ran out the door.

“Bye, honey, have fun,” I said, basking in the rainbow of colors that followed him out the door.

About Tracy 144 Articles
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