Now that I’m a mom, I can both see that I was a pretty good kid AND that I would be furious if my kids did some of the things I did.  The reckless driving, I mean. I can survive it if my kids mooned an old person.  Because we grew up before social media, moms of my generation are lucky in some respects. Our stupidest mistakes and most regrettable decisions aren’t online to follow us forever. Our kids aren’t so lucky, which means that some of the things we got away with might become things our kids can never live down.  I talked to 12 moms to find out what they did during their teen years that they hope their kids NEVER do. Consider this the ultimate “do as I say, not as I did” list. Image via iStock.com/wundervisuals So what did I do? I went there, got drunk for the first time in my life, hooked up with another prospective student, and showed up 15 minutes late for my scholarship interview, totally hungover.  I would be LIVID if my kid ever did that, but my mom never found out." — Connie P., Ripon, Wisconsin It is a miracle nobody died, really." — Ashley T., Topeka, Kansas More from CafeMom: The 6 People Who Hate Your Teenager I just don’t want any of that for my kids. I want them to make decisions they feel proud of later." — Name withheld by request I can think of quite a few times where that could have gone tragically wrong as well." — Sarah W., Baxter, Minnesota Oh my gosh, if my kids did that? I’d kill ’em! It was so stupid and so dangerous. If we’d been in a car accident, people could have been easily killed." — Lynn T., Spokane, Washington What the hell were we thinking? Teenagers are really so dumb." — Kim P., Des Moines, Iowa More from CafeMom: 18 Rules for Teenagers From America’s ‘Strictest’ Parents It was so risky. I was going to college on a scholarship and if I had been caught, I would have lost that. I actually went on to go to grad school and now my dissertation is online, ironically.  I talk to my kids about how much easier it is to catch cheaters now. I’m also hoping to raise them to have enough self-confidence to know they don’t need to cheat to do well in school." — Susie D., Minneapolis, Minnesota Looking back, I did so much regrettable stuff when drunk. I drove. I snuck into a public pool and dove off the diving boards. I had loads of unprotected sex. It is a miracle I didn’t get pregnant.  I want so much better for my kids. So I’m a total helicopter mom about this stuff." — Lisa E., Saint Paul, Minnesota I still don’t know why we did it. We had jobs and money. It was just teenage dumbness. But if I caught my kids doing it? I’d be mortified." — Name withheld by request

12 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 7812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 6312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4012 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 6012 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 3712 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4112 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 6012 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 112 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 3512 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 87

title: “12 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did As Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don T Try” ShowToc: true date: “2024-08-28” author: “Deloris Duran”

Now that I’m a mom, I can both see that I was a pretty good kid AND that I would be furious if my kids did some of the things I did.  The reckless driving, I mean. I can survive it if my kids mooned an old person.  Because we grew up before social media, moms of my generation are lucky in some respects. Our stupidest mistakes and most regrettable decisions aren’t online to follow us forever. Our kids aren’t so lucky, which means that some of the things we got away with might become things our kids can never live down.  I talked to 12 moms to find out what they did during their teen years that they hope their kids NEVER do. Consider this the ultimate “do as I say, not as I did” list. Image via iStock.com/wundervisuals So what did I do? I went there, got drunk for the first time in my life, hooked up with another prospective student, and showed up 15 minutes late for my scholarship interview, totally hungover.  I would be LIVID if my kid ever did that, but my mom never found out." — Connie P., Ripon, Wisconsin It is a miracle nobody died, really." — Ashley T., Topeka, Kansas More from CafeMom: The 6 People Who Hate Your Teenager I just don’t want any of that for my kids. I want them to make decisions they feel proud of later." — Name withheld by request I can think of quite a few times where that could have gone tragically wrong as well." — Sarah W., Baxter, Minnesota Oh my gosh, if my kids did that? I’d kill ’em! It was so stupid and so dangerous. If we’d been in a car accident, people could have been easily killed." — Lynn T., Spokane, Washington What the hell were we thinking? Teenagers are really so dumb." — Kim P., Des Moines, Iowa More from CafeMom: 18 Rules for Teenagers From America’s ‘Strictest’ Parents It was so risky. I was going to college on a scholarship and if I had been caught, I would have lost that. I actually went on to go to grad school and now my dissertation is online, ironically.  I talk to my kids about how much easier it is to catch cheaters now. I’m also hoping to raise them to have enough self-confidence to know they don’t need to cheat to do well in school." — Susie D., Minneapolis, Minnesota Looking back, I did so much regrettable stuff when drunk. I drove. I snuck into a public pool and dove off the diving boards. I had loads of unprotected sex. It is a miracle I didn’t get pregnant.  I want so much better for my kids. So I’m a total helicopter mom about this stuff." — Lisa E., Saint Paul, Minnesota I still don’t know why we did it. We had jobs and money. It was just teenage dumbness. But if I caught my kids doing it? I’d be mortified." — Name withheld by request

12 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 7812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 1612 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2912 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 7212 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 3612 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2512 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 112 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 1612 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 3512 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 77

title: “12 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did As Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don T Try” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-13” author: “Irene Mitchell”

Now that I’m a mom, I can both see that I was a pretty good kid AND that I would be furious if my kids did some of the things I did.  The reckless driving, I mean. I can survive it if my kids mooned an old person.  Because we grew up before social media, moms of my generation are lucky in some respects. Our stupidest mistakes and most regrettable decisions aren’t online to follow us forever. Our kids aren’t so lucky, which means that some of the things we got away with might become things our kids can never live down.  I talked to 12 moms to find out what they did during their teen years that they hope their kids NEVER do. Consider this the ultimate “do as I say, not as I did” list. Image via iStock.com/wundervisuals So what did I do? I went there, got drunk for the first time in my life, hooked up with another prospective student, and showed up 15 minutes late for my scholarship interview, totally hungover.  I would be LIVID if my kid ever did that, but my mom never found out." — Connie P., Ripon, Wisconsin It is a miracle nobody died, really." — Ashley T., Topeka, Kansas More from CafeMom: The 6 People Who Hate Your Teenager I just don’t want any of that for my kids. I want them to make decisions they feel proud of later." — Name withheld by request I can think of quite a few times where that could have gone tragically wrong as well." — Sarah W., Baxter, Minnesota Oh my gosh, if my kids did that? I’d kill ’em! It was so stupid and so dangerous. If we’d been in a car accident, people could have been easily killed." — Lynn T., Spokane, Washington What the hell were we thinking? Teenagers are really so dumb." — Kim P., Des Moines, Iowa More from CafeMom: 18 Rules for Teenagers From America’s ‘Strictest’ Parents It was so risky. I was going to college on a scholarship and if I had been caught, I would have lost that. I actually went on to go to grad school and now my dissertation is online, ironically.  I talk to my kids about how much easier it is to catch cheaters now. I’m also hoping to raise them to have enough self-confidence to know they don’t need to cheat to do well in school." — Susie D., Minneapolis, Minnesota Looking back, I did so much regrettable stuff when drunk. I drove. I snuck into a public pool and dove off the diving boards. I had loads of unprotected sex. It is a miracle I didn’t get pregnant.  I want so much better for my kids. So I’m a total helicopter mom about this stuff." — Lisa E., Saint Paul, Minnesota I still don’t know why we did it. We had jobs and money. It was just teenage dumbness. But if I caught my kids doing it? I’d be mortified." — Name withheld by request

12 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 412 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 5112 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2912 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2712 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 5812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4412 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 9112 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 4612 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 412 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 7312 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 2212 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 9812 Incredibly Dumb Things We Did as Teens That We Hope Our Kids Don t Try - 24