14-year-olds or so... so you do this?

Question

My 14 year-old son is driving me crazy over this one "little" thing. I regularly find ball-point pens on his bedroom floor, on his expensive carpet. I guess they fall off his desk or out of his backpack and he's too lazy to pick them up. I'm worried that one day, the ink will leak and damage the carpet.

Do you leave pens on your carpet? Do you see this as a problem? If you were me, how would you handle it? I'm mostly venting, but am curious to see what kids think about this. Serious anwers only, please. :)

Answer 1

Well, I mean, pens are not a problem or anything.
Maybe just the laziness is.

Answer 2

Without reading the other answers, I know people are going to say "if this is the only problem you have with a 14-year old...." They are right. This is the most minor "rebellion," if that is what it is that I have heard from a parent. The carpet around his desk may get stained a bit but that is nothing compared to the damage that will be done if you make a big deal of this "little" thing. And that is what it is. First off, you can get any number of plastic or cheap carpeted or area rugs to give the "expensive" rug a fighting chance. Kids like this are often klutz' in other areas, such as a messy room simply because at this age they don't see order as important. Being too picky on the "small" stuff means you have to ratchet up to monster when he does something "big."

Answer 3

Oh my god no wonder us teens rebel against their parents! my first impression was you're being a nitpicker... but anyway...

Answers to all your questions:

1) That's right, you are going crazy over one little thing. Notice the little is not in inverted commas here because that's exactly what it is. LITTLE!! Jeez it's a couple of pens on some carpet! If the pens don't have caps on them just pick em up and chuck them in the bin!
2) Tell your son to get off his a*ss if he can't keep his stationery tidy.
3) No I don't leave pens on my carpet, partly because my room is tiled, but also because I have a pencilcase. Maybe you should buy your son one? That way if the pens leak it will not be your problem.
4) I don't see it as a problem, but it's not hard to keep pens tidy.
5) How I would handle it if I were you: I'd buy him a pencil case and make him clean the carpet or pay for damages if any pens leak at ANY time during the future.

Answer 4

I'm a parent of a 14-year old, but I thought I'd weigh in on this one....Teenagers are not the greatest for respecting property. I think most of the time they don't realize that they are or could be wrecking things by what they do, or by just being sloppy. I don't think pens on the floor is a big deal, and it probably won't ruin the carpet, but clearly you feel this could be a problem, and you have every right to be concerned. Carpet is expensive. Explain your concern, and let it go. Make it clear that if anything does happen to the carpet, he will be the one cleaning it or making retribution for the damage.

Answer 5

Your son will hate you if you keep doing this. It is bad enough being 14 (at least i think so) but having someone constantly tell you not to leave your pens on the floor is just annoying. So what if the carpet gets damaged? Its not the end of the world

Answer 6

If this is as bad as it gets, you really need to count your blessings. If not, you'll have to pick your battles. If this is one of them find a way to motivate him. Put newspapers or craft paper over his entire floor and tell him he has to keep it there until he learns to pick up his pens. Or take them away and only leave him with pencils. Or nothing to write with at all except at the kitchen table (or place of your choosing).
And don't fret so much about expensive new carpet. You do have it to live on. Generally speaking pens don't burst much around here and I homeschool 3 so we have alot of them laying around at various times during school each day. Then, they can't go out til its all picked up. And if they don't clean it up they can just sit there, no tv, no video games, whatever. Good luck

Answer 7

Nope I don't see it as a problem, although I would teach him how to clean the carpet in case a pen does leak. Sounds a bit obsessive to me. Frankly you need to learn how to "pick your battles". Do you really thing that in 20 years a pen on the carpet is going to mean that much to you or would you rather have your son and possibly his family come by and visit from time to time? It's your choice.

Answer 8

My mom does the same exact thing and I get so angry its such a trivial thing to do I am 15 and I just want to say at least I'm doing my homework but ummm it really pisses me off and I could see that my mother has a problem with it because my dog is attracted to ink pens and chews them up and once got ink all over the carpet so she has a right to get pissed lol

Answer 9

Um wow I'm 14 it's just a pen I'm very messy naturally in fact my whole room is a mess I drop something and don't bother to pick it up.It's not really a problem adults always spazz out about the stupidest tiniest things ever.If I were a mom and my kid was dropping pens I wouldn't care .

Answer 10

Not all teenagers are lazy, most are but you cant impliy that they all are cause i'm not and never was. If he continue doing you could either confront him or move/take the expensive carpet in which he could get ink from the pens on away.

Answer 11

If it became into my 14 365 days previous son or daughter, the 18 365 days previous could be in reformatory. If the 18 365 days previous is so in love with a newborn like that, they could wait a pair of years for the 14 365 days previous to get sufficiently old to be a available love relationship. till then, stay away.