DD 15 has had a whirlwind two years. I have always been quite a laid back mum but now I feel like I'm living on my nerves.
DD had a really hard time last year, friendship issues spilling into cyber bullying and general bitchiness, it really got her down and she had a period of severe anxiety, school avoidance etc. These school issues have now been resolved bbuuuutttttt
She is very sensitive and moody and I think due to previous issues I panic if she doesn't seem cheerful (which is fairly often!!). I am permanently panicking about her wellbeing and I get so upset on her behalf when she is not invited to something that all her friends have planned or when I sense issues between her group. (Which is fairly often at this hormonal age!!). I think as she gets so anxious I have begun to get anxious at the prospect of something triggering her anxiety, which is a pretty unhealthy cycle. I have become almost to desperate to make things right to the point this week I thought every weekend for as long as I can remember I am entertaining her friends and she never goes to theirs (she likes being home!). I suspect her anxiety puts stresses on her friendships as it seems they have to always come to her and she is almost unwilling to make plans or stick to plans. This sounds awful but I think her anxiety triggers others as she is every so negative and is always asking people "Have they said anything about me" over and over again. So here we are stuck in a bit of a cycle of me trying to make sure DD's life is as smooth as possible but I feel I need to step back a bit and stop advising her so she can move forward and preferably leave the house occasionally!! I have become such a "fixer" I get endless calls and texts all day every day with DD needing advice on what to say to so and so or let me know what she hasn't been invited to. It is just all so miserable and I really feel for her being a teenager is a bit shit sometimes.
On the other hand I have created a slight monster in that the demands are HUGE and they are continuous, I think she knows I want her happiness overall so if I say no she uses her anxiety to guilt trip me. "Oh well now you've said no (to having a house full all weekend, or a designer handbag) I will be sitting alone in my room/socially outcast for not having the bag whilst everyone's having fun". I don't think she sees me as human and has grown a very selfish attitude she doesn't ever help or ask how I am. In fact if I have something going on she really plays up eg I had an interview for promotion, she knew, she didn't wish me luck but instead threw a major wobbler refused school and sent me about 100 messages ! I have noticed she is beginning to treat her friends like crap to and is very bossy and grumpy. I pull her up on this and she says "Well I was nice before look what happened". Any ideas on how I can move forward causing the least amount of distress possible?! She point blank refuses any outside help, I have tried countless times.
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I have turned into a neurotic mum help!
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MandyCC · 29/06/2015 22:51
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