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AIBU?

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Aibu to feel at my wits end with dd13 or am being dramatic

59 replies

Catontoof · 02/04/2025 12:13

Long story short dd is constantly screaming shouting being rude to the point I cannot even have a conversation with her. Mother's Day she threw some flowers at me woukdnt spend any time with me didn't get me a card. The flowers she was made to get by my mum and so that felt really forced.

no nice words of love or appreciation
last night she told me I'm not a proper mum I can't cook etc
this morning in my room screaming about her hair wouldn't leave and turned abusive

I have had it, she hates going to her dads but I feel at a loss and feel as though I can no longer take it:
she is my dd and I would die for her but lately I just feel so resentful we can't go anywhere as it's just awful and full of strops and complaining.
she's rude to me in front of my friends
she won't go to anyone else but me I just feel isolated. But I also know this is teenagers maybe I'm expecting to much
I have no sensible family around me at all

OP posts:
verycloakanddaggers · 02/04/2025 17:10

What's the story with her dad? Has she had any difficulties at school? How does she find school work? How about hobbies and social life? What's her routine?

She sounds really unhappy. Yes she's behaving badly but could there be something underlying it?

mnreader · 02/04/2025 17:03

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mnreader · 02/04/2025 16:55

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FatFilledTrottyPuss · 02/04/2025 16:05

I've got no advice op but my own dd was like this when she started puberty. Her favourite insult was ugly old hag, followed by shit mum, crap parent, etc etc. The worst things got was when she stabbed my pillow with a kitchen knife about 20 times.
She’s grown out of it now and she’s an absolute joy and loves me more than anyone. There’s hope for your dd too.

QuickPeachPoet · 02/04/2025 15:42

Growlybear83 · 02/04/2025 12:28

I’m afraid she sounds like a typical 13 year old.

Are you having a laugh?

LighthouseTeaCup · 02/04/2025 13:25

Growlybear83 · 02/04/2025 12:28

I’m afraid she sounds like a typical 13 year old.

No she doesn't!

Jellycatspyjamas · 02/04/2025 13:12

I’d start by removing the phone. If she has a meltdown so be it. I think the pressure to be available 24/7 if too much for anyone and the mindless scrolling doesn’t help. My DD is also 13 and has her challenges but she knows her phone is a privilege and one that I can withdraw at any time. Recording you in your home is deeply disrespectful and I’d set a clear boundary around that.

I’d also start disengaging when she’s being abusive - I’d tell her we can talk when she’s calmer and leave her to it.

If there’s a reason for her being shouty I’ll try to help her, eg helping her with her hair and will be super calm. She needs you to model keeping cool and problem solving if at all possible. It’s hard because emotions and hormones are all over the place but there also needs to be a boundary.

Getting some space may be no bad thing - not in a “you’re so awful, go to your dad” way but more in a maybe we both need some space.

MattCauthon · 02/04/2025 13:11

I suspect that there's a LOT goign on here so there won't be any immediate fixes.

The first thing I would say is that you are in a negative spiral. And as the adult, you are going to hvae to be the one to break it. So right now, she's unahppy, she lashes out, you are upset, you shout etc. That's not to say poor behaviour ris okay or should be excused, but that she's still young and it's up to you to create an environment in which she wants to behave well.

[Also, while I hate the autmatic ND labels, its worth considering - ADHD or ASD brains dont' respond to punishments or consequences like threatening to take their phone and a lot of this sounds like the sort of ADHD negative spiral DS got himself into at slightly younger - 12, rising 13].

Think about what you can say to be positive/happy/supportive. Not a big chat. Not a huge issue. Just a thing. Did she get a good mark on a test? Did she make her bed this morning? even just has she got dressed and is wearing her full school uniform on time, or has put together a nice outfit on the weekend. Compliment or thank her. Actively look for moments like this. Small moments. YOu dont' have to turn them into a whole thing and please don't expect her to be grateful.

It doesn' tmatter if there's still negative in between. But too often I think the negative becomes the default and you're angry/upset and so don't see or acknowlege any of the positive.

Then, what nice things can you do for her that are, again, minor. What' sher favourite meal - can you just get it in or cook it. No drama just, "Dinner's ready - it's your favourite pasta dish" or whatever.

Then you need to start addressing the bigger issues. I'd start with a meeting with the school. What's going on at school? how is her behaviour, academic performance etc. Do they have any insight into her friendship groups or social interactions? Do they have suggestions? What positive input can THEY provide at school - eg when DS was in his spiral, school helped by making a point to identify POSITIVE things, even if minor, as all he ever heard was negative feedback. Does she have a favourite teacher you could talk to, or an approachable form teacher who could run interference for her?

Wht can you put in place to incentivise her? A sit down chat, where you pick one thing you want to improve on, with an incentive - so perhaps it's how she behaves at home or perhaps it's about getting up and ready for school on time or whatever it is.

DS gets small monetary "bonuses" for good report cards. Consistently proving he can be trusted leads to him getting more independence.

He is very food orientated so I buy his favourites or make his favourites when I know he's had a tough day/week but for her it might be something different.

Is there something she's desperate to do or have that you can offer as an incentive? DS wanted to be able to take the train to go somewhere.... so we used that as an incentive - "prove you can be responsible, get yourself ready on time, be proactive, and we'll let you take the train which requires all of those things." And he did.

Say yes when you can. People get twitchy about this one as they think it's spoiling the child. But again, by now, all she ever hears is negative feedback. So when she asks if she can go out with her friends, if your instinct is to say no, stop and think "why? what is the real harm?" and instead say yes. DS was so used to no no no all the time that he was nervous to ask us if he could start a new sport. Similarly, while I loathe sleepovers, I make a point of saying yes almost every time if I can because it's an easy win in terms of me saying yes and not no.

The result was that over a few months, we saw significant improvements. I'm not naive enough to think the problems are solved. they flare and will flare. But the truly awful place we were in about a year ago has definitely gone away.

Upstartled · 02/04/2025 13:10

Other than the conflict with your DD, are there any other stresses on your home? Is you life calm, peaceful and fairly orderly?

TheCastleDoesNotReply · 02/04/2025 13:00

I wasn’t condoning the behaviour, simply suggesting there are better ways to deal with it than creating more conflict with the child and calling them “vile”. How is that going to improve the relationship? And hardly a good example to set modelling appropriate behaviour. Teenagers can sense hypocrisy a mile away so being insulting to or about a child is hardly going to encourage them to treat others with respect, is it?

QuickPeachPoet · 02/04/2025 12:41

TheCastleDoesNotReply · 02/04/2025 12:36

What an awful comment. She is a child and you’re calling her “vile”. Who would want their child to “come crawling back”? Decent parents don’t try to make their children grovel or humiliate them into submission and obedience, they try to find out what is causing the child’s negative feelings and behaviour and address it, build a relationship or trust and make the child feel secure so that they can help the child with the underlying cause of the negative behaviour.

Treating your mum with a bit of common courtesy, not insulting her, screaming, throwing things at her, disrespecting her house and belongings is not ‘submission’, it’s basic decency if you want to use the word decent. OP has done her very best on her own and deserves better.

TheCastleDoesNotReply · 02/04/2025 12:36

QuickPeachPoet · 02/04/2025 12:25

She sounds vile OP. So sorry.
For what it’s worth, she will no doubt see the light and come crawling back one day. When she realises that when the chips are down nobody loves her and cares about her as much as her mum.

What an awful comment. She is a child and you’re calling her “vile”. Who would want their child to “come crawling back”? Decent parents don’t try to make their children grovel or humiliate them into submission and obedience, they try to find out what is causing the child’s negative feelings and behaviour and address it, build a relationship or trust and make the child feel secure so that they can help the child with the underlying cause of the negative behaviour.

sciaticafanatica · 02/04/2025 12:35

Honestly I would remove the phone and change the WiFi settings… no pocket money and take no more shit from her.
set boundaries and stick to them.
Dont argue back or acknowledge her shitty behaviour.
she is 13 and knows right from wrong.

AirFryerCrumpet · 02/04/2025 12:34

Honestly I think having a bit of a break from each other might be a good thing?
I'd talk to her in a calm moment and say she's going to stay with her dad for a couple of weeks to give you both some space.

UnbeatenMum · 02/04/2025 12:34

Has she always been like this? Do you think there's something going on that you don't know about? Bullying maybe? Or issues at school? This really isn't normal for teenagers, mine weren't wonderfully helpful or selfless on mother's day, which probably is normal, but they were nice to me and went to the effort with cards and presents.

Crunchymum · 02/04/2025 12:32

Catontoof · 02/04/2025 12:23

I have tried removing phone that sends her into an actual meltdown but she has started to use the phone to record me including this morning

Take the phone! Don't try to remove it, actually remove it.

She behaves and earns it back. By behaving I mean she shows you kindness and respect and engages with you.

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:32

“Yes dear I am awful for wanting what is best for you. Now will you apologise for your awful language ?”

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:31

You almost sound intense wanting to do things with her - she is at an age when she will not want that so much

Catontoof · 02/04/2025 12:30

Pigsears · 02/04/2025 12:27

I agree with this.

I have tried offers of going for dinner, film, watching films at home, going nando's, beach anything but she point blank refuses to do anything with me
i only see her for dinner times or when she wants something and I try and Crete ways to do more but she just won't and I just leave it to avoid am argument

OP posts:
Growlybear83 · 02/04/2025 12:28

I’m afraid she sounds like a typical 13 year old.

Catontoof · 02/04/2025 12:28

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:26

Oh and apologise for saying you will send her to her dads - model great behaviours and that includes apologies

I have done both times I have said but more and more I'm feeling at the brink of it all there is no let up and it feels relentless

I do try and talk to her which always worked before but right I just feel completely numb and that's scaring me - if I could I would just go away for a week nothing I say works and she constantly voices how awful I am anyway

OP posts:
Pigsears · 02/04/2025 12:27

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:25

Don’t send her away to her dads
her behaviour isn’t ok but even thinking that will make her feel insecure and an insecure teenager is a
Nightmare

talk to school and find out if there is anything there

if she is fine there and taking it out on you that’s actually good - it means she’s safe to take out her feelings on you
now she just needs to learn better ways to manage her feelings

talk to her - walking or driving so she doesn’t have to look at you
watch a favourite child movie together
reassurance that despite it all you love her
what emotions do you show her ?

I agree with this.

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:26

Oh and apologise for saying you will send her to her dads - model great behaviours and that includes apologies

wherearemypastnames · 02/04/2025 12:25

Record her back!

QuickPeachPoet · 02/04/2025 12:25

She sounds vile OP. So sorry.
For what it’s worth, she will no doubt see the light and come crawling back one day. When she realises that when the chips are down nobody loves her and cares about her as much as her mum.

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