When my eldest reached puberty, his habits shifted dramatically. He began spending more time in the shower and less time following directions, and his once tidy room quickly transformed into a chaotic mess. Where he used to make his bed daily, I now found mysterious substances dripping down the walls. I suspect he even repurposed his curtains as a makeshift tissue! It seemed he believed that dining in his room was the only way to enjoy a meal.
One day, after countless requests for him to tidy up (which he often brushed off with a lie), I took it upon myself to clean his room. I thought that by showing him a clean space, he would feel motivated to maintain it. Boy, was I wrong.
While I was making his bed, I noticed a few items sliding under the frame. Curiosity got the better of me, so I reached down and pulled out a sweatshirt, which was stuck to what I later discovered were months-old banana peels. Horror struck me as I realized how he could sleep with such a bacterial nightmare lurking just below.
Armed with a hand trowel from the garage (there was no way I was going to touch that mess with my hands), I ventured into the depths beneath his bed. What I found was alarming: stiff clothing, a veritable mountain of used tissues, a treasure trove of coins, neglected school papers, half-eaten snacks, his retainer, and even a Christmas outfit I had gifted him. The sheer volume of debris was overwhelming.
I attempted to clean under there a few more times, but I quickly realized I had reached my limit. I’ve decided that I’ll just wait until he moves out and deal with the entire carpet (and its hidden horrors) then. I’ve learned that many teens seem to treat this space like a dumpster, making it difficult for them to part with their clutter.
A viral TikTok post by Mia Thompson showcased a similar scenario, where she pulled her son’s bed away from the wall and revealed a shocking mess. This struck a chord with many parents, as it turns out, countless teenagers share this habit of hiding trash under their beds instead of tossing it in the bin.
Whether you regularly check under your teen’s bed (which I commend you for) or, like me, prefer to avoid that nightmare, you’re not alone. Most teens seem to have a talent for tossing items out of sight rather than into the trash. The TikTok video ends with her son finally cleaning up, which leaves me wondering how she managed to achieve that.
I have three teens and can confidently say that this tidy phase won’t last long. At this point, I’m too exhausted to remind them to clean up their under-bed messes, and I secretly hope a giant cockroach will scurry out one night to inspire them to take action. It better stay under there with the rest of the grossness!
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