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Parenting teenagers with an obstructive Ex... HELP!

9 replies

Vickitoriana · 05/01/2014 18:06

Hi everyone.

I wanted to get other lone parents opinions on an issue i am having with the father of my 16 year old son.

My son suffers from ODD and its been an up hill struggle bringing him up... Especially given that his dad is been difficult throughout. DS is a bright kid but due to his ODD he has never reached his potential which is frustrating. Lately DS has been choosing to spend more with his dad because he is more liberal than me... If i try to set boundaries his dad knocks them down... Over the last few months this has become a real issue because DS has been dabbling with skunk and staying out for days on end... DS's dad doesn't see the issue with this but i am really worried.

On friday i found a photo on FB of my son covered in blood at his friend's house... Obviously concerned i called his dad who was totally ambivalent. I asked him to work with me to set some boundaries because i am concerned about where this behaviour is going... He refused and told me he couldn't see the problem with it!!! He also told me the DS had not been home for 5 DAYS and he had only spoken to him once.

I called the police to get some advise who suggested reporting him missing... I did as suggested and within 20 minutes they were here and had got the address of where DS was... I went with them to pick him up and we returned him the his dads house because DS didn't want to come to mine.

I left them to calm down as i knew it had not gone down well... This arvo i called DS to talk to him, clear the air and tell him why i had done it... This was met with abuse, name calling an a threat to call my boss and tell her that i had wasted police time from DS's dad... Plus verbal abuse from DS

Did i do the wrong thing?

OP posts:
DarkKnight123 · 06/01/2014 00:11

When your son was a toddler, he would have tried to walk, stumbled, and tried again. In a way, at 16 you do the same thing when you step into adulthood.

Perhaps the priority should be to rebuild the relationship with your son. Tell him how worried you were for sure, and perhaps acknowledge that as he's older he's going to be more independent. Talk about how proud you are of him. Let him know that you both need to learn from whats happed.

If it its possible, when things are calmer book a small holiday with him?

The ODD thing might be relevant, you would no better than me. If there's a need for adult psychiatric help you would obviously need to support him through that but that said, you would be hard pressed to find any 16 year not displaying oppositional behaviour.

Vickitoriana · 06/01/2014 11:13

Wow, thanks!!!

Firstly, i have done all of the above, he knows i love him, am proud of him and am worried. I took seven years off work to support him and advocated for him with schools and other agencies. I have loved him, cherished him and put him above everyone else.

Mu relationship with him was fantasic until about 4 months ago when he fell in with a group of other kids who were strongely influenced by drug culture. Although i understand he is transitioning into adulthood he is still in my care and i cannot ignore risky behaviours. The problem isn't my reluctance to let got, its that his father is completely inactive and colludes with the risky behaviour.

I have told my son what my worries are, he knows. However, if you have one parent trying to set boundaries and the other ignoring then DS will do what he likes regardless of the risks.

I have an 18 year old DD who lives with me fulltime. She stays at her BFs alot, but stays in contact and tells where she is ans comes home when i ask her to. She isn't doing drugs and is not doing risky things... Her father doesn't bother with her at all anymore!

DS's ODD is very significant to all of this as it can develop into a conduct disorder, which is way more serious. DS has been through CMHSS and i work in mental health so am trying to keep an eye on that aspect. The problem isn't that he is unwell, its that the ODD makes him more vunerable than others in his peer group!

We all need boundaries, regardless of age. Wanting to ensure that DS is safe and well is the bare minimum a parent should be doing, and thats all im trying to acheaive here!

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 06/01/2014 14:45

I am not an expert.

however I do know that you cannot change your ex partner and unfortunately I think his oppositional behaviour is way worse than your teens. If he refuses to engage with you the only thing you can do is ignore him and hope and pray that somewhere there is enough love for your son that he will eventually dig deep and find his inner parent.

From your own perspective not engaging with your ex and accepting that he will not be your ally in this may give you just a little more energy to address your son and the problems you outline.

back in a minute

foolonthehill · 06/01/2014 15:05

Firstly this is not a sign that you’ve somehow failed as a parent. You have a troubled teenager who may well need professional help either now or in the future, and he has the added inspiration of a father who models disrespectful behaviour and lax boundaries. Your boy will feel the freedom but also feel inherently unsafe, making his behaviour worse and his anger more present. the drugs are also a way of coping with this as well as the unfortunate "family" group that he has chosen.

The main thing that you can do is find a way to connect with your son, without bringing up the problems or feeling you must address his behaviour. he needs to feel your love and safe presence. if he won't accept that just now you just have to keep going there and offering it....very, very hard to do!
He will still crave love, approval, and acceptance from you. That means you probably have a lot more influence over your teen than you think.

To open the lines of communication:

Be aware of your own stress levels. If you’re angry or upset, now is not the time to try to communicate with your teen. Wait until you’re calm and energized before starting any conversation. You’re likely to need all the patience and positive energy you can muster.

Be there for your teen.Invite him round for dinner frequently even if he declines often and do not make it conditional on anything except respectful behaviour to you at the table.

Find common ground. The objective is not to be your teen’s best friend, but to find common interests that you can discuss peacefully. Once you’re talking, your son may feel more comfortable opening up to you about other things. Even if he doesn't at least you still have a relationship to build on in the future.

Listen without judging or giving advice. When your teen does talk to you, it’s important that you listen without judging, interrupting, criticizing, or offering advice. Keep your focus on your child, even when he or she is not looking at you.

Expect rejection. Your attempts to connect with your son may often be met with anger, irritation, or other negative reactions. Stay relaxed and allow your teen space to cool off. Try again later. Don’t be put off; persevere and the breakthrough will come.

Model Healthy Lifestyle (you may not be able to do it just now if he is mostly absent...)

Create structure in your home life. Just knowing that home is still up and running creates a place of safety for him.

Eat right. Good for you, good for him. regular meals and healthy choices.

Take Care of Yourself
The stress of dealing with any teenager, especially one who’s experiencing behavioral problems, can take a toll on your own health, so it’s important to take care of yourself. That means looking after your emotional and physical needs and learning to manage stress.

Take time to relax daily and learn how to regulate yourself and de-stress when you start to feel overwhelmed.
Don’t go it alone, especially as you’re a single parent. Seek help from friends, relatives, a school counselor, sports coach, religious leader, or someone else who has a relationship with your teen.

Watch out for signs of depression and anxiety, and get professional help if needed (including the police if criminal behaviour becomes apparent...real life consequences may be the way he finds his way back).

This won’t last forever.
I really really hope you find 2014 is the year he rediscovers yu and the rest of his life.

foolonthehill · 06/01/2014 15:06

sorry Blush rather long and I'm sure you are doing most of it anyway.

Vickitoriana · 06/01/2014 16:47

Thank you so much foolonthehill. That was uber helpful. :)

That is the most helpful advice i have received since i became a parent bth. I am gonna give all of that a go, it certainly can't do any harm. Xxx

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 06/01/2014 21:56

I really hope that your boy will remember all that good foundation of love and care and support soon....but even if he does not, you know that you have given him the best that you can...and even if it seems well buried, it is still there.

best wishes foolxx

Vickitoriana · 07/01/2014 18:39

@foolonthehill... Thanks so much for all you said yesterday... ds and i had a long chat this arvo... He understands my concerns a bit better.... Its amazing what a chocolate milkshake and kebab can do. We are back on good term now. X

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 07/01/2014 19:59
Smile
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