Thank Goodness you guys are here! ( I have raised two sons as a single mom through the teen years (my Ex -a cop, was "scared of the boys" and ran screaming with his tail between his legs during the teen years)- Charlie One (26 years old) and Charlie two (24 years old) (think of the sitcom Two and a Half Men) both Charlies are now contributing members of society and take care of themselves - My now Dh says I have two Charlie's-but I am unable to give ANY advice re Zippy 16 3/4th's:

My week with Zippy-

Zip is on meds for his acne (two storey zits on a three story nose)-Zip will NOT take his meds even when FORCED by the dermatologist, who said in front of DH "Gee Zippy, most of my patients WANT to get rid of a scaring skin condition"-(DH looked like someone put Excalibur through his heart speaking to the "Golden Zip" like that)-

Months on

Zip goes in and out of compliance re the meds-

Bad week goes like this

DH follows up and follows through maybe once a month on house rules (see earlier blogs)-chooses this week when Zip has not complied with meds three days straight and Zip's face is beginning to ooze towers of pus on his nose-

Lets see how this goes---

Day one of non -compliance:

DH from top of the stairs-"Zip-did you take your pills"?

Zip gaming furiously downstairs

"No, not yet"

Everyone goes to bed happy at midnight (non-gaming is supposed to stop at 11:30pm) NOT (DH HATES "nagging" Zip-not "popular' with teens, you know)

Count the pills

pills none -Zip Ten

Day Two:

DH at dinner

"Zip, don't forget to take your pills"

Zip -head down, shovelling the "homemade" dinner I cooked (two years ago Zip only ate "take out")- two years ago, that same dinner would have ended up with DH "cooking" (buying) Zip something ZIP would eat (see the difference Crayon -Droopy will LOVE homecooked meals when the hormones kick in!) -(Zip will now ONLY eat my home cooked dinners).

Zip-"YEAH, I remember taking the pills best "AFTER" dinner (anyone else playing the fiddle while Rome burns here?)

Everyone goes to bed AT MIDNIGHT (SEE ABOVE)

Day Three-

DH is working an evening shift

Zippy comes in from work and heads downstairs (just Endora and Zippy at home)

ENDORA:

"Zip, take your pills before you get settled in for the night"

ZIP-"Yes, Endora" TAKES pills and settles in for the night.

How EASY is that????

DH comes home-

"Zip did you take your pills" (girls are noticing Zip once the two storey zits are gone-makes DH proud!)-Zip however still has NO clue re the girls) sigh....

ZIP-"YES DAD"

I mention my "strategey" to DH with Zip

Everyone goes to bed AT MIDNIGHT (SEE ABOVE)

Goes over like a lead balloon

Poor kid-not a chance in the world.....