Posting here for traffic.
Just wondering if anyone has dealt with a teen boy starting to copy his father's disrespect.
I know there may need to be a longer term solution, so I'd prefer it if you didn't focus on that as I'm wrestling with it at the moment.
An example is that he is away atm and I rang him and he acted bored to speak to me on the phone. Not just that his attention was elsewhere but that he appeared to actively be showing me that he didn't want to speak to me. He's never done that before but it's the kind of behaviour dh does but more face to face than on the phone. I know it's a small thing but it's a drip, drip effect as it's one example among many.
Has anyone dealt with this successfully?
We've always had a really good relationship. It's been tougher in the teem years and I expect that and try not to get into battles although he doesn't like being disciplined and is quite argumentative. Dh has never done any discipline, that's always been my job. He just moans about their behaviour (to me and them)but no consequences or follow through. He's never backed me either when I've tried to discipline the children and quite often sabotaged it by telling me I'm overreacting in front of them or arguing with me about it in front of them.
I'm terrified of losing my son to his father tbh (I don't mean I want to win but just not for my son to turn against me). DH is very charming - not in a smarmy way but in a funny way. Everyone thinks he's the loveliest person ever as he seems so kind, amusing and laidback. I'm the only one that gets the criticism and negativity. My other son is more balanced but this son seems to side with his dad whenever we argue: he tells me not to be mean or not to shout. I'll admit I do shout at his dad but only because he's said or done something unkind. He never tells his dad not to be unkind when he storms off at family events or says something mean or critical.
Has anyone dealt with this?