Let’s get real for a minute.
We may love our teens and sometimes we may not like them very much. In fact, it can be downright difficult to live with someone who seems to be on a completely different page to you AND is hellbent on ignoring EVERYTHING you say.
But here’s the thing.
They ARE listening.
They ARE watching.
They ARE still learning from you.
It’s challenging to stay resourceful in the midst of what may feel like carnage and the undoing of all the work you put into raising them when they were younger. Where has you cute little hunk of love gone?
They USED to understand your rules, so CLEARLY they’re deliberately choosing to being rude now.
Please know it’s not like that. They are simply in a distinct period of their growth….and it’s a blooming tough stage for everyone (including your teen!)
The most effective thing you can do is to look after yourself so you can respond to your teen rather than react. Stay strong, be clear about what’s important to you and make sure that, even when you may struggle to like your teen, they know when certainty that you love them and their home is a safe space to be them, warts and all.
Together, you’ll get there xx