The Trials of Being a Teen Parent

As my profile indicates, I have 3 teenage daughters still at home. Furthermore, as the mother of five; that means I have successfully survived two already. My two sons are into the 'manhood' phase and have successfully left the teenage years behind. Well, one has 2 months to go; but he's pretty much there.

Now I keep reading more and more articles about how the brain of a teenager is not fully developed. Certain parts grow and mature faster than others. So some real choice areas are not because of stupidity or lack of attention. Their brain has actually physiologically not finished developing in that area. So now we can't blame them for their lack of judgment, etc.

I've read that things like 'judgement' and 'moodiness' fall within the slower developing areas of the brain. An article I read today said combativeness could be affected by it also.

I'm fully willing to accept this. I have even pointed out the scientific evidence to my girls in hopes they might just trust MY judgement without too much battle if they knew this. It does help with self-esteem that they know. They have told me "now I don't feel so stupid or irresponsible, I really can't help it."

So here is my question. Where does the part of the brain that tells them to throw their trash away instead of leaving it all over counters and tables and such? Why is it they can throw their own trash away at school but not at home? Why is it they can go over to their friend's )boyfriend's) house and scrub floors and refrigerators but they can't throw away an empty shampoo bottle from the shower? If they are too sick or tired to clean up why aren't they too sick or tired to make a mess? Why can't they get it through their head that if they'd just throw things away when they ate them; they wouldn't have to clean a mess up later?

As you can surmise; I went downstairs this morning; groggy and looking for breakfast; when what to my sleepy eyes should I find??? Dining table, coffee table, all the kitchen counters, and even the stairway rail; full of trash items. {time out - I had to retrieve a Cup-of-Noodles container from the dog}

What part of their brain controls these things???

Oh and one more thing before I quit ranting. The best part is the battles all through the teenage years trying to get them to pick up, clean up, not make the mess in the first place, etc... and then what do they do?

They move out on their own and become neat freaks!!!!!