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Dealing with teenage children
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 1:45 pm
by Guest Posts
I have 2 teenage children who are at the typical moody grunt stage of life. They don't cooperate, they leave a mess everywhere and do little to help. I come home from work and feel immediately stressed with the mess and lack of communication so we often row immediately. I hate myself for it and hate feeling as though I'm always having a go at them. What can I do to feel less stressed about this? Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you
Jackie
Re: Dealing with teenage children
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 6:38 pm
by kingcradd
Hi there,
I only have a moody 5 year old at the moment who is acting like a teen so I feel your pain! I don't really have that much experience but I would say not to act off first instinct which would be as you said to row immediately - once you start getting to the stressed stage where you feel like you're about to blow your top over their mess, step out of the room and into another and close the door....stay in there for as long as it takes for you to calm down enough to think that their angst is misdirected at you and is due to a high level of hormones which they have little or no control over - sounds like you're the closest person that they vent it all onto?!! (It's like that saying 'familiarity breeds contempt')That however does not excuse them leaving a mess everywhere though!! It must be tough having two moody headed teens but I reckon it would shock them even more if they didn't get the rise out of you that they're looking for and if you tried to keep your cool and bite your tongue. If they try to start an argument with you then don't feed into it - don't know if would work but you could say stuff like 'I don't want to argue with you,I don't like arguing with you and I would just appreciate it if you would do.......(enter task here!) Negative actions spreads negative results.Hopefully I've been some help but sorry if haven't! Completely different to having stroppy 5 year old vs teens but sending you lots of love and luck! xxxxx