2nd Article

"Because I Don't Want To."

From ages 13 to 17, teenagers go into “I don’t care” mode. It’s the phase between lovable kid and responsible adult, and it is definitely the worst. It’s when kids stop doing chores, slack in their grades, and go “anti-parent”. And, just like any other stage in the life, there is a way to recognize it. This stage’s stamp of identification is simply the phrase “Because I don’t want to.”
To parents, it’s commonly known as the “devil phrase”. To kids, it’s just what you say to get out of going to Grandma’s house for dinner. “Because I feel like it” is an out to any question, a perfect way to not answer. But, no matter how many questions it answers, the script is always the same:

“Will you stop by the store on your way home, honey?”
“No.”
“And why not?”
“Because I don't want to.”

“Go take out the trash."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to."

"Will you go fold some laundry?"
"Uh, no."
"How come?"
"Because I don't want to."

"Sweetie, go hug your Grandma."
"No."
"But why?"
"Because I don't want to."

Some parents would simply be stumped at their rebellious child, wondering why on Earth they wouldn’t do the simplest things. While it may seem that we don’t have reasons for our response, most times we do. I am here to help you understand a teenager’s “Because I don’t want to.”

“Will you stop by the store on your way home?”
“I don’t want to go because the neighbors practically live there. I’d run into them, and Mr. Stevens will spit while he talks, and Mrs. Stevens will pinch my cheeks and tell me how much I’ve grown.”

“Take out the trash.”
“I put a stink bomb in there, and it’ll erupt when someone takes it out. I was hoping Jerry would get it….”

“Will you go fold some laundry?”
“I am not touching Mom’s underwear.”

“Go hug your Grandma.”
“No thanks, she smells like moth balls and has that horrible whiskery mustache.”

So you see, while our answers behind our “Because I don’t want to”’s might not be the most selfless, ideal answers, you have to admit that they make sense. Now you know what this generic response from a teenager can mean, and next time you get this answer, remember that adults have their own vague replies, such as the famous “Because I said so.”