You are here

At what age do boys typically "get their shit together"?

PeanutandSons's picture

Submitted by PeanutandSons on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 11:36am

SS11 is the oldest kid in the house, so its hard for me to judge sometimes what is normal behavior for a boy his age, and when he's behind. Every year his teachers comment on how immature he is and he really has to be pushed to progress in any area....he is very comfortable just sticking to the status quo.

OK, so this morning is the first day of middle school for him. He got up and got dressed this morning. No shower, he put on a black uniform shirt with black shorts, left the size sticker on the front of the shirt, his backpack still had the price tag hanging off of it, and he had his polo shirt buttoned all the way to the top.

I guess my thought is.....shouldn't he be a bit more with it by this age? Should he really not think to shower for the first day of school? Should he still be oblivious to how he looks? To the point of not noticing tags on anything? Isn't he at that age where he should want to impress? To look cool and put together?

Or am I just expecting too much at 11?

Comments

Biomomof2's picture

Submitted by Biomomof2 on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 11:45am

I think it is a per child thing not an age thing. Or maybe it is a skid thing. My son is 8 and emotionally immature he is stuck, he is very smart (too smart, a grade ahead smart) and emotionally he is about 6. He cares, he likes to look nice. Does his hair, wears nice clothes. My daughter is 10 and it has always been fashion show time!!! She has to look good!!! Than there is skid SD9 and she doesn't brush her hair unless you tell her to. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it also comes with personal responsibility. My kids are responsible for their stuff and basically normal kids. I don't think one of us here will say our skid is developing normally.

new to this's picture

Submitted by new to this on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:51pm

I was gonna say the same thing!! Some don't ever get their shit together!!!

princessmofo's picture

Submitted by princessmofo on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:08pm

My 9yo bio does stuff like this sometimes with the polo buttons. He say's he is a "hipster". LOL. I doubt he knows what that is. But boys in my experience do this crap all the time. My 5yo got his head stuck in the arm hole of his shirt yesterday trying to dress himself and ran down the hall screaming he was paralyzed because his arms were caught. Smile Boys are just spacey, at least mine are. But I think you should be able to expect a bit more of him at 11. I would...

GhostWhoCooksDinner's picture

Submitted by GhostWhoCooksDinner on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:35pm

Your SS11 sounds a lot like SS14. Sorry to say it, but some don't get their shit together till long after adulthood! BS17 has always had his shit together, but he was born a little adult. LOL!

PeanutandSons's picture

Submitted by PeanutandSons on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:36pm

Yeah, I get that men/boys are spacey....but if there is one day in the whole year that you'd think a kid would take the extra effort to put their best foot forward, today would have been the day right?

I remember packing and checking and rechecking my school supplies. Planning out my first day back outfit, making sure my hair looked nice etc etc for the first day of school. Basically obsessing over every detail the days leading up to the first day of school.

SS just seems to oblivious to everything. How embarrassing would the day have been had I not caught all that stuff.....and off he goes to a new school and is that kid.....the smelly kid that everyone is chuckling at with tags hanging off him and his bag. He hasn't brushed his hair....hadn't put on deodorant.....he just rolled out of bed and threw clothes on...apparently without even looking at the clothes to see he was wearing a solid black shirt with solid black shorts......covered in price tags.

And he was prepared to walk out the door like that. I fear this kid will be eaten alive in Jr high.

PeanutandSons's picture

Submitted by PeanutandSons on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:42pm

Oh, and the button thing drive me insane. This lid has been wearing uniform polos since kindergarten and I still have to tell him about three times a week to unbutton the top button.

I was at the elementary school almost every day either picking up or dropping off the skids.....NO ONE else had their shirts buttoned all the way up.....other than SS.

arjuna79's picture

Submitted by arjuna79 on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 12:38pm

I'd say 50 is more like it. (50 ->65 is the golden age, imho. they've still got enough energy and testosterone to make it worth hanging around Dirol )

thinkthrice's picture

Submitted by thinkthrice on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 2:13pm

Hmmm Guilty Daddy is 45--no sign of maturity yet. Does things like makes agreements without it being in writing, pays someone to do a job for him all up front then wonders why he got ripped off. And he's a CONTRACTOR! Will NEVER listen to my advice UNLESS he agrees with it too.

Lalena75's picture

Submitted by Lalena75 on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 8:30pm

28-30 from personal experience yes females really do mature faster.

floridianmama's picture

Submitted by floridianmama on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 9:20pm

My husband is 42 and still doesn't have his s*** together! That's what wives and mothers are for apparently!