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There’s over thirty years between us and our children, so often we find ourselves asking, “Were we really this awful as teenagers?”

But the reality is yes, we probably were. In our own time, in that distant epoch, we too were often self-absorbed, mean, rude, vindictive and mostly horrible to be around.

Certainly I remember squabbling with my sister nearly all the time. We both gave as good as we got, regularly having shouting matches to ensure everyone witnessed everything.

I guess it’s hard being an adolescent with hormones raging, bodies changing shape, the need to conform and belong increasing by the day.

Fortunately the worst our kids seem to have to contend with is not having branded clothes, although even this isn’t really true.

The kids right now are masters of winding us up, skilled at obtaining just the reaction they want from us. It can be tough being belittled and disrespected by the lovelies you raised.

But a quick, frustrated search reveals that their behaviour is completely normal for their age, and simply the outcome of the way their brain currently functions as it develops towards adulthood.

So sometimes it’s best just to walk away and ignore their provocations, as long as they’re not causing anyone harm. That’s probably what our parents did too, though we didn’t understand it at the time.

Perhaps some of the puzzles of our youth would have made more sense earlier if we had been able to start a family as soon as we were married. As it is, it hits us twenty years late.