Pls join me in wishing Shine Boy a happy 13th bd and pass along any advice for teenage-hood!

[Shine]

:party: Today is Shine Boy's Golden Birthday, he's turning 13 on the 13th. :woohoo: He's my first-born, my only son, and truly a real character that I love with all my heart. :loveya: I want to show him this thread when he gets home from school today, so please...

What positive words of advice or wisdom do YOU have to share with him about the teenage years? Thanks, friends!! :hi:

(here he is, the Actor, pretending to be Dr. Evil...) :D

[bridgit]

1. happy b-day kiddo...

:bounce: :party:

[Shine]

7. Thanks, bridgit.

:hug:

[reyd reid reed]

2. Happy birthday!!!

And as for advice...for him or for you?

For him: Enjoy.

For you: This, too, shall pass.

:hug::hi::hug:






(seriously...I've gotten one boy through it, another nearly through it, a daughter in the throes and another boy on the brink...the boys are WAY easier)

[Shine]

8. LOL!! Great advice, thanks!!

:hug: :loveya: :hi:

[miss_american_pie]

3. Happy Birthday!

I have no wisdom, just have fun!

:party:

[Shine]

9. There is definitely wisdom in having fun, wouldn't you say?

:D Thanks, miss pie. :hug: :hi:

[Call Me Wesley]

4. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy!

:party: I hope you're having a wonderful day and countless more to come! :hi:

And for the word of wisdom: Enjoy the teenage years, but do not take them seriously, even they seem totally serious to you. One day you'll look back and put them into a different perspective. Still, enjoy them; that's what they're here for.

[Shine]

10. Wise words, indeed, my friend.

Thanks. :hug: :hi:

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy!!!

Hope your mom makes her peanut noodles for you for your birthday dinner!

:toast:

:hug:

[Shine]

11. LOL!! Actually, tonite we're taking him to dinner at the restaurant of his choice:

The Cheescake Factory. :9

He does like those peanut noodles, though. :D

Thanks for your good wishes, friend! :hi: :hug:

[AllegroRondo]

6. Words of wisdom for teens (loosely translated from from my dad)

dont worry so much about what you want to be when you grow up. Try EVERYTHING, and eventually you'll find something people will pay you to do.

dont make any decision based solely on which choice is the safest. You may be safer, but you'll be bored.

when something stops being fun, its time to give it up.



A Big Happy B-day to Shine Boy!
My daughter just turned 13 last week. What fun.

[Shine]

12. Ah, a fellow parent on the path....What great advice!!!

Thanks very much. :hug: :hi:

[crim son]

13. Happy Birthday, Shine-Boy!

It starts to get really fun just about now, according to my thirteen yr old son. This is also the time when you need to clean your room every morning and start doing your own laundry. Okay, I'm kidding :) Have an excellent day!

[Shine]

15. LOL!! I just now saw your post.

Yup, he's gotta keep his room tidy, take out the trash, empty the cat litter and put away his clean, folded laundry himself. He's got it pretty easy, all things considered. :)

Thanks! :hi: :hug:

[Tikki]

14. You're handsome....always smile at people....

...you will make their day.


Tikki

[Shine]

16. Awww...what a sweet thing to say.

:hug: Thanks Tikki...your words will definitely help to make HIS day.

:hi:

[nini]

17. Happy birthday Shine Boy!

:party: :toast: :bounce:

[Shine]

19. Thanks, nini.

:hug: :hi:

[Zomby Woof]

18. Happy Birthday!

But having been 13 myself once, I have no advice because 13 year-olds are not known to listen to anything adults say. :evilgrin: :party:

[Shine]

20. LOL!! Good point.

thanks a LOT, ZombyWoof! :D

:hi:

[NV Whino]

21. happy birthday, Shine Boy

Go easy on the junk food. It catches up to you really fast.

And just remember, when everything starts to fall apart, it's just the hormones talking. They will calm down after 30 or 40 years.

[Shine]

27. LOL! You must've heard about his party.

:D junk food, all the way. Ugh. I totally agree with you, btw, and remind him of it.

Hormones....yikes! :scared:

"30 or 40 years"?! Double yikes!! :scared: :scared:


:hi: Thanks for your post!

[NewWaveChick1981]

22. Happy 13th birthday, Shineboy!

:) :party: :woohoo: Even though it sounds corny and goofy, always be polite. That will get you far! So many people have forgotten what politeness is all about.

[Shine]

28. Yeah, what she said.

hear that, son? :D

Wise words, thanks!! :hi:

[Beer Snob-50]

23. happy birthday

some advice:

1. parents tend to get smarter as you get older
2. cooties can be fun to catch
3. while math be a real drag, it will be real important later
4. have fun, someday you won't have time to do have it anymore.

[Shine]

29. Excellent advice, pirate.

:thumbsup: ALL of your points are good ones.

Thanks! :hi:

[Road Scholar]

24. Happy Birthday Shine boy.

Thirteen. Get ready for a big adventure.Your teen years. Just one rule, rely on Dad and Mom's judgement so you can enjoy being a teenager. Just because everybody else is doing something means there's a good chance it's wrong.Not always, but a lot.
Happy Birthday. :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :silly: :silly: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :yourock: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Shine]

30. Great advice, thanks!!

:hug:

[ghostsofgiants]

25. Happy birthday, dude!

Don't trust anyone over 30! :P

[Shine]

31. Thanks (a lot) primate1!

:D

(aside to son: he's KIDDING!)

[WritingIsMyReligion]

26. Have fun!

Homework sucks, but the rest has been okay so far. Plus, you have mucho grandes excuses to be crazy now. :D

[Shine]

32. heheheh. I'm sure he'll agree with you on that one.

esp about the homework. :D

[China_cat]

33. Best advice

Send him to your mother-in-law until he's 22. Since she has obviously already raised a male child, she has the experience you do not. (And do not want)

Signed; the mother of 3 boys now aged 43, 38 and 34.

[MissMillie]

34. ROFLMAO

*from the mother of the 19 year old who lives at home*


I was going to say a prescription for valium might help, but you need to slip it into his OJ and make sure he drinks it.

[Shine]

39. That would be problematic b/c sadly, my MIL is no longer with us.

:( oh well, I was still amused by your answer, though.

:hi: Thanks, China_cat! Wow, three boys. Kudos to you! :yourock:

[China_cat]

55. I'm sorry about your MIL

but no kudos to me except for the fact that I managed to learn to fake being sane.

[Phillycat]

35. Happy bday to the kid!

Advice for him: never pull a crewneck sweater on over your head with a lit cigarette in your mouth.

What? That's my advice for everyone! :D

[Shine]

41. Funny!

hopefully, he'll never start smoking in the first place! :D

Here's hoping, anyway....no offense to smokers, of course.

:hi:

[Phillycat]

47. DEFINITELY

In all seriousness (seriesness??) tell him if there's ONE thing in my life I wish I hadn't done, it's start smoking. And I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, so there's a LOT of things I could regret. But that is my one regret, from my 34 years of life, you could tell him that.

[Truebrit71sbruv]

36. hehehe - happy birthday young-un!

I celebrated my 3x13th birthday this June, and if it's any consolation, I wish in a LOT of ways I was just celebrating a 1x13th birthday!

Between you and me Shine Boy, yes, girls are weird and yet somehow totally fascinating at the same time. THAT part of it does not get any easier with age I'm afraid. (I agree, they really SHOULD come with a handbook).

And no... you will neither go blind, nor ever need to shave your palms if you keep doing it...

And yes... your mum DOES know... (and NO it doesn't matter)

Enjoy these years mate. It's never as bad as you may think it is sometimes, and it will ALWAYS better than you can ever, ever, ever imagine it could be.

Happy, happy Birthday! :) ;)

[Shine]

42. LOL!!!

:rofl: I'm sure he and I will be discussing your post at great length.

then again, maybe not. :D

heheheheh.

Thanks, buddy, for the laugh, in any case. :hi:

[Truebrit71sbruv]

46. ~grins~

Yer most welcome. An auspicious day! I hope it all goes wonderfully! :D :hi: :crazy: :freak:

[Burma Jones]

37. Mazeltov

remember, the more interesting you are, the longer it will take you to mature..........

If you're really smart, you'll never stop maturing.

Enjoy the next decade, you will never have as many different experiences shoved into as short a period of time as you will in the next ten years. This is why being a teenager is so difficult, and so rewarding.

You are not what other people think you are, you are what YOU think you are.

If you want to join the Armed Forces, join the Air Force, they have the best food and lowest casualties.

Don't be stingy.

Stay out of cars with drunks.

Read more than you play video games.

Kindness is the most powerful force in the World, use it.

[Shine]

43. Well said, new_beawr!!!

:applause:

Thanks very much!! :hi:

[Kutjara]

38. Happy Birthday!

Don't talk to any strange Congressmen.

[Shine]

44. LOL!!! You are too funny!

Good one. :thumbsup:

I'm sure I'll have to discuss your post with him, too. :D

:hi:

[huskerlaw]

40. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy!

My advice would be to always stay true to yourself. The teenage years can be rough, but I'm sure your upbringing has given you the tools you need to come out of it with your self-respect intact and a sense of self worth that will serve you well as an adult.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :party:

:toast: (that's um...lemonade...) ;)

[Shine]

45. LOL!! OR rootbeer.

:D

Thanks for all your excellent advice, huskerlaw. Wise words, indeed. :hug: :hi:

[skygazer]

48. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy!

My advice -

Trust your parents - they've been there
Trust your instincts - you do know what's right and what's wrong
Enjoy your life
Embrace change
Have a great birthday! :party: :bounce: :party:

[Shine]

53. Thanks, skygazer!

:hug: Excellent advice, I esp love the "embrace change" one. :thumbsup: Actually, they're all good. :loveya:

[ThomCat]

49. Happy Birthday, Kid!

When you're ready to start rebelling, don't be too dramatic about it. You win more fights when you fight quietly. :7

[Shine]

54. He's already been dramatic about it.

:D He wants to be an Actor, afterall.

Thanks for your good wishes, ThomCat! :hi:

[hfojvt]

50. Happy Birthday

You probably do not want advice any more than I have any to give. I tried to find a funny story, but have none of those in my journal either.
Just in case, this is as close as I get to advice:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/hfojvt/2

[Shine]

56. Don't give up on your dreams.

Wise words, my friend, very wise. :hug:

Thanks! :hi:

[rug]

51. Unversal advice for raising teenagers:

At 13, punch airholes in a cardboard box and tape him inside.

At 16, plug the airholes.

[Shine]

57. LOL!! Oh c'mon....it's not THAT bad, is it??

is it? :scared:

:D

:hi:

[sarge43]

52. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy

You're a very lucky young man. Your dad loves you. That's a blessing, a gift and a source of strength and joy. Treasure it always.

As for your teenage years, enjoy the ride and keep your arms inside the car at all times.

[Shine]

60. LOL! Funny.

:rofl:

Thanks for your clever advice, sarge43! :hi:

[cwydro]

58. Happy B-day big boy!

Only thing that really jumps to mind is to be true to yourself and your parents...Never let others influence you to do what you think isn't right or to do it to be "cool". Try not to hurt other people and be kind to animals. Always. Now have a happy one and many more!:party:

[Shine]

63. Thanks, cwydro!

I love noticing the common threads of people's advice: the ones that speak of being true to oneself and honoring one's parents.

Wise words, indeed. :D

:hi:

[cwydro]

67. Yeah

and I learned it later than I should have...

[lizziegrace]

59. Happy Birthday!!

:)

:party:

No advice, just best wishes for a wonderful birthday and a terrific year. :)

[Shine]

65. Thanks, lizziegrace.

:hug: :loveya:

I have yet to show him this thread. He's been home from school for a while now, but he's working on his homework and keeps getting calls from out of town relatives....

:)He's gonna be thrilled to see all the happy good wishes! :hi: Thanks, again.

[bigwillq]

61. Happy Birthday Shine Spawn!

:toast: :bounce: :hi:

[Shine]

66. LOL! Somehow that sounds obscene.

:D "Shine Spawn", that is.

Thanks, bigwillq. :hug: :hi:

[RevolutionaryActs]

62. Happy Birthday!

[Shine]

73. How colorful!! Thanks, Rev Acts!

:hug: :hi:

[pitohui]

64. happy birthday!!!!

as for advice on the teen years, i'm the last one to give advice, you've heard of the terrible twos well i was a terrible teen

[Shine]

74. Well, we've all been there, haven't we?

Thanks for your good wishes, pitohui! :hi:

[Whoa_Nelly]

68. Happiest of all Birthdays, ShineBoy!

:woohoo:


And for you, Mom....just go with the flow...something you already know how to do very well! :hi: :loveya:

[Shine]

75. Thanks, babe.

yup, Mom is doing the best she can...:hug:

:loveya:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

69. Happy Birthday, son of Shine!

Enjoy your teens...the golden time before adulthood takes over!

:party: :toast: :bounce: :bounce: :toast: :party:

[Shine]

77. Thank you, Peggy.

:hug: :loveya: He's having fun so far. He's so funny. He says that, "by law", we are now "required" to let him see PG-13 movies. We've been letting him see them, most of them, for a while now anyway, but he's obsessed with the whole concept of now not having any "limits", now that he's officially a TEENAGER.

heheheh. That's what HE thinks. :D

[flamingyouth]

70. Happy Birthday!

What a cute pic! :D :party:

[Shine]

79. Thanks, flamingyouth!

:hug: Yeah, he's pretty amusing. Loves to be the center of attention...:eyes:

[Redstone]

71. Advice: No matter how much you think they are, your parents are NOT

actually stupid.

Nor are they trying to make you miserable on purpose.

You're not the only one with a few zits, so stop obsessing.

No, you're not weird.

No, you don't have cancer.

No, everybody doesn't hate you.

Never hit anyone unless they hit you first. If they do, do whatever you have to to make sure they're not physically capable of hitting you again.

Yes, it's big enough.

As you go through high school, remember that the guys who are the big, dumb popular jock sports stars will very likely be mowing your lawn some day.

Don't start smoking cigs. But don't be a self-righteous asshole to those who do. Same with dope and booze.

Read books. Read more books. Then read a couple of extra books.

If you get into reading science fiction, which you probably will, avoid that hack Robert Heinlein like the plague. Seriously. He was a truly dreadful writer, and if you ever are dumb enough to use the word "grok" in a conversation, nobody will ever talk to you again.

Laugh. Then laugh some more.

Trust Crazy Uncle Redstone on all this, OK? You'll be fine.

Redstone

[Shine]

80. Excellent, excellent advice, Redstone!

:applause: Lots of beautiful gems in there, that's for sure. Thanks very much.

He esp liked the one about it being "big enough". At first he said, WHAT being big enough?
Then, half a second later...."Ohhhhhhh, I get it", followed by much smirking and embarrassment. Classic.

:rofl:

Uncle Redstone, :yourock:

:loveya: :hug: :hi:

[Redstone]

84. I thought it was one of my finer moments on DU. Glad you and your son

liked it. I hope he prints it and puts it up on his bedroom wall.

Redstone

[Shine]

85. It was, my friend, it was.

:hug: I just sent you a PM, in fact. :D

You'll be happy to know he even suggested printing up YOUR advice, specifically. I'm gonna do right now.

Thanks, again, so much! :pals:

[WannaBeGrumpy]

72. HAHAHA!!! Best pic EVER!!!

Happy B-day!!! :hi:

[Shine]

81. Thanks!!

yup, he's quite the character, alright. :hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

76. Happy b-day, Shine Boy!

:party:

I don't have any teenage advice to give, since I screwed up that whole chapter of my life, but I think "Dr. Evil" works for him. :D

[Shine]

82. heheheh. Yeah, the pix is getting a lot of attention.

that kid o' mine, I don't what the hell I'm gonna do with him. I never had a brother, so it's all new to me....

We're just trying to have fun and he definitely is somebody who likes to have fun, too, so we're off to a great start. :hi:

Thanks for your good wishes! :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

78. Happy Birthday, Shine-boy!

I hope the year brings you wonderful things!

My 2 cents worth of advice: Enjoy life. Take the negative with the positive, and try to find the good in it. :hi:

[Shine]

83. Thanks, GOG!

:hug: Your 2 cents is worth a LOT more than that. :thumbsup:

:hi:

[u4ic]

86. Happy Birthday, Shine Boy !!!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:




Advice? Hmmm...go to sleep and don't wake up until you're 20. The worst of it will be over...:P

[Richard Steele]

87. Happy Birthday! As far as the "advice" thing goes...

...I got NUTHIN! My teen years were really not the best.

[Missy Vixen]

88. Happy Birthday, Shine boy!

Okay, I'm late, and he's probably long asleep after the big night out.

My advice: Always be able to laugh at yourself. It keeps you human. Also, never stop learning. I hope you'll graduate from college, go out there, and make the world a better place.

I wish you laughter, I wish all your dreams will come true ;-). Most of all, I wish that you'll have the life-changing experience of falling in love. (Of course, not till you're much older, and someone your parents adore.*)

Julie

*They didn't pay me to say that.