{"id":3570,"date":"2026-04-28T04:38:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T04:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/honeykidsasia.com\/thailand\/?p=3570"},"modified":"2026-04-28T04:39:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T04:39:15","slug":"the-rollercoaster-ride-of-being-a-mum-raising-teenage-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/honeykidsasia.com\/thailand\/the-rollercoaster-ride-of-being-a-mum-raising-teenage-boys\/","title":{"rendered":"The rollercoaster ride of being a mum raising 2 teenage boys"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine being strapped into a rollercoaster you didn\u2019t quite prepare for. That\u2019s what my everyday life feels like.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have two teenage boys \u2013 14 and 17 \u2013 and honestly, some days feel like pure chaos. There are mood swings, loud debates, slammed doors, random bursts of laughter and moments where I\u2019m just standing there wondering, \u201cWhat just happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing: rollercoasters are also fun.<\/span><\/h2>\n

They\u2019re a little scary, yes. But the good kind of scary. The kind that keeps you awake, makes you feel something and somehow teaches you more about yourself than you expected.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what raising teenage boys has been like for me. Not easy. Not calm. And definitely not boring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lesson 1: You can raise your kids the same way and still end up with completely different humans.<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"
Photography: Amy Sukkasem\/HoneyKids Asia Thailand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I tried. I really did try to raise them the same way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Same home, same values, same parenting approach. And yet, my two boys couldn\u2019t be more different.<\/span><\/p>\n

August, the eldest brother<\/span><\/h3>\n

Even as a toddler, something felt different. He couldn\u2019t sit still, couldn\u2019t focus and was always moving. I remember worrying, is something wrong? Do we need to fix this?<\/span><\/p>\n

So we looked into it. And instead of a problem, we discovered something else entirely. He just needed to be challenged.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was drawn to Lego, science kits, anything that required building and figuring things out. I still remember watching him, completely absorbed, putting pieces together step by step.<\/span><\/p>\n

We leaned into that. Robotics classes, structured learning, giving him space to explore. Now, at 17, he\u2019s deep into pre-engineering, focused on mechanics and slowly stepping into adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n

This shift has been a learning curve for me too.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had to move from being \u201cmum who decides everything\u201d to something more like an advisor and sometimes, just someone who listens.<\/span><\/p>\n

He wants space, independence, his own opinions. And we give that to him while quietly staying close enough to catch him if he falls.<\/span><\/p>\n

Uno, the younger brother<\/span><\/h3>\n

Completely different energy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where August is focused and steady, Uno is full speed, all the time.<\/span><\/p>\n

He started playing football at six and that confidence just grew from there. He\u2019s curious, always wanting to try something new, always testing boundaries in his own way.<\/span><\/p>\n

At 14, he\u2019s already in an intensive pre-cadet medical programme, which still surprises me, because he somehow balances that with all that energy and sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

Raising him feels less like guiding and more like coaching.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are pep talks, small wins, emotional ups and downs. I let him make mistakes not because I don\u2019t care, but because I know that\u2019s where the real learning happens.<\/span><\/p>\n

My role is to stay close, step in when needed and remind him he\u2019s not doing it alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what does \u201cbeing a parent to teenage boys\u201d actually mean?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"
Photography: Amy Sukkasem\/HoneyKids Asia Thailand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Honestly, it means wearing multiple hats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some days I\u2019m the mum.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some days I\u2019m the referee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some days I\u2019m the friend.<\/span><\/p>\n

And occasionally, I feel like the older sibling trying to keep the peace when they argue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sweeten up your inbox!\u00a0Subscribe to HoneyKids Asia Thailand<\/a><\/h3>\n

Lesson 2: control doesn\u2019t really work at this stage.<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"
Photography: Amy Sukkasem\/HoneyKids Asia Thailand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Connection does.<\/span><\/p>\n

I try to create a space where they can talk about anything, even the uncomfortable stuff. No judgment, no immediate lectures. Just a place where they feel heard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do I get it right all the time? Definitely not.<\/span><\/p>\n

But I\u2019m learning to walk alongside them instead of trying to lead every step.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because at the end of the day, this rollercoaster isn\u2019t about keeping everything perfectly in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s about watching them grow into their own people, with their own thoughts, strengths and yes, even their own mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n

And even on the most chaotic days I wouldn\u2019t trade this ride for anything.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Imagine being strapped into a rollercoaster you didn\u2019t quite prepare for. That\u2019s what my everyday life feels like. I have two teenage boys \u2013 14 and 17 \u2013 and honestly, some days feel like pure chaos. There are mood swings, loud debates, slammed doors, random bursts of laughter and moments where I\u2019m just standing there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102303,"featured_media":3571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","filesize_raw":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3570","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-parenting","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe rollercoaster ride of being a mum raising 2 teenage boys<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two boys, two completely different personalities and a whole lot of chaos. 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