Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
I have a 14 year old son..He's very popular, athletic, smart and outgoing..So what the problem..The other day i picked my son and his friends up from the movies to drive them home i over heard them talking about things they did at school..I couldn't believe what i heard..They were talking about thing they did for a dollar..My son ate a bic pen for a dollar..Yeah you heard that right, as a parent how embarassing that your child would eat something so stupid..He took the ink out of the pen first..I couldn't believe what i was hearing..I just don't know how to aproach this, what do i say..Here i have Crohn's disease and can't digest normal food and he's eating stuff that you just can't digest at all..What are these kids thinking..I did try to tell him that he can't digest the pen but he kind of blew me off..I want him to know how serious this could be and i don't ever want him to try this stunt again..
Re: Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
I think it is just to prove they can makes them look tuff or something I guess but yes its not worth it and pretty stupid.Maybe take him to the doctor and have the doc explain to him what may happen by doing things like this? I am not sure what else to do ugh and to think my oldest will 13 in may and already holding the teenager sign very high.
Last edited by tnmomofive; 03-07-2006 at 05:41 PM.
Re: Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
At the very, very least...he took the ink out of the pen first. Heaven knows, he probably would have gotten himself sick off it.
Guys in high school as well as college like to do crazy things to show that they aren't cowards when they are presented with a challenge from their buddies. My ex and his friends would mix together foods and drinks at lunch and eat the mixtures...for some reason, young males seem to enjoy tormenting themselves.
I would probably take your son the the doctor to make sure that the pen he ate will not cause any internal problems; I don't know if it would get lodged in his intestine or what. I don't know how in the world he managed to swallow a pen without choking on it, but it would be best to find out if it will pose a threat to him.
And believe me when I say teenage boys do some crazy stuff...some guys I knew during my sophomore year dared one of their buddies to eat the uterus of an earthworm (biology dissections) for nothing, and he did it...and violently vomited shortly after lunch. As the saying goes, "Boys will be boys".
Re: Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
I've shared this story with other friends and family, they mostly take it as no big deal but my concern really is that this can be a health risk..I also wondered how he swallowed the pen so i ask him he said he chewed it..I wonder if i should make a doctors appointment or do you think i'm over reacting???I also found out he was eating raw eggs with his friend, nothing as bad like the pen but if eggs aren't cooked don't they carry bacteria???I know boys will be boys but can't they find something better to do with their time..
Re: Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
ya know what though... how embarrassing for him if you took him to the doctor...that alone might teach him the lesson he needs!!
I would truly be concerned...and i would tell him, straight up, why....that it could have cut or scratched his esophogus or any of his internal organs...which have NO nerve cells, so he wouldnt' feel a thing...but he could have very well damaged something internally, could you imagine if a piece perforated his intestines... he could become critically ill...and if it hasn't come out the other end yet...well watch out, cause the shards of plastic could cut up all kinds of things coming out that end too!!
I think it warrants a trip to the doctor... the biggest problem with the kids is, they don't think about the consequences of things. I hope this is a big lesson for him!!
Re: Teenagers pulling off stupid stunts what to do as a parent....
Hi daystar,
As a parent, I would be very concerned too.
really quickly: These kids get it from these stupid TV shows like jacka** and wild boyz on MTV. I mean these kids are getting famous for doing REALLY STUPID things on TV and they allow it on the air and the kids who are watching it think it's really cool. - sorry had to blow off some steam.
My suggestion is, put a lil reality check into his butt. Get some articles or even some pics of some tragedies that have happened because of people doing stuff like that. Or have his pediatrician talk to him about the dangers that could happen.
Sometimes I feel with my kids I will show them what could happen to them vs. talking to them about it. because it's in one ear and out the other. Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah.
