WHy do parents yell at their teen kids if they try to turn up the heat when it's sooooo cold out?

Question

Like when it's below freezing outside and record low temperaatures are in place. Some teen kids try to turn up the thermostat and the parents say "Touch that thermostat and you'll be grounded for life."

Answer 1

I have found that heating bills are not free. I doubt that the temperature inside is anywhere near the record low outside. Anyway if you get up and move around the house, dust, sweep, mop the floors, clean your room, or clean the bathroom you can accomplish 2 things.

1. You can help out around the house, which should help make thing easier between the teens and their parents.
2. You will naturally begin to warm up and not feel so cold.

Hey, you could offer to cook. I always get hot when I am in the kitchen cooking with all that heat. Then you will be begging to turn the heat off because you are hot.

Answer 2

Plenty of parents unwittingly do that. They're stressed out, it needs to come out and you happen to be there. They'll always think there's a reason for it though. They might start yelling because you're on the computer using electricity or because you forgot to turn the light off. Which isn't a "yellable" offense, but might trigger her stress. Try and minimize instances where you're giving her an excuse to yell. The rest of it is really just suffer through. You're not the first kid who lives through that and chances are you will survive it. It's aggravating and tiring, but it's not gonna damage you, no matter what child psychiatrists say these days. Just calm down, don't get involved in a screaming match and just wait it out. If you can manage it, give a smile and say "I'm so sorry mommy, you are completely right. I shall pay attention to that from now on". It's a great way to diffuse someone's anger (I do it on stupidly angry customers at work. I know they're wrong and just being a**h*les, but it shuts them up immediately and they're going home thinking "why was I screaming again?") You have to realise there are a lot of issues between parents and teens that simply cannot be resolved. When that's the case, the only thing you can really do is suffer through.

Answer 3

Heating bills are expensive, it's cheaper to throw on more layers of clothing than to turn up the thermostat.

Answer 4

Because the parents pay the bill! I have yet to hear of a teenage
kid helping pay the bills. I'd make them get a job and then divide
every household bill, maybe then they would understand why a
parent threatens deadly force when it comes to that thermostat!

Answer 5

They are not trying to be mean. You have to understand the real world is no joke. EVERYTHING COST! So if they get mad it's just because their trying to conserve their energy and money. Plus as kids sometimes we dont understand where are parents are coming from we just think they are just being mean. But they look at it like we dont pay no bills or work and they have to take care of us and sometimes it can be a very challenging job.

Answer 6

Well....I yell at mine because our heat bill was $500 last month and I'd prefer they just put on a sweatshirt or sit under a blanket than jack the heat bill up any further.

Answer 7

Perhaps if the kids paid the bills they would have a better understanding as to why they aren't to touch the thermostat!

Answer 8

When you pay the heating bill you can turn up the temperature. Heat is expensive, why not try a nice sweater?

Answer 9

Are you contributing to the heating bill - take a look at it next time it arrives.

You can put on warmer clothes and a good pair of slippers.

Cuddle and Keep Warm!!!

Answer 10

Because it is so much money to pay for heat when all u have to do is put along sleeve shirt on with pants and socks.Wait until u have to pay a 200.00 bill for heat a month.