Mean teen - how do you cope?

[Anonyhouse]

My 14yo son and I both have adhd, but it affects us both quite differently in terms of our emotions. If he’s annoyed by anything (nearly never me to start with) he can be quite nasty with me. Tonight for example, his football team are losing and I made one very light joke (not about the match) and got a fake laugh and a nasty look. If he’s lost something and I try to help, he speaks to me like crap. I am more introverted and have RSD. So it really hurts me when he’s like this with me. I’m a single parent and it makes me feel so flipping lonely and sad sometimes. I know he can’t help it (to a degree) and I try to manage it sensibly. I don’t know if I am dealing with it right though. Sometimes I tell him he’s being horrible, not to speak to me like that etc. And it’s not all the time. Sometimes I just let it go, not worth the hassle. Does anyone dealing with the same thing/has dealt with this have any advice? Tips on dealing with the behaviour and dealing with how it makes me feel would be much appreciated x

Have you had any support for your RSD?

For things like the look DS gave you, I would ignore. Obviously I wasn’t there, but that may well have been a normal teen look in response to a silly joke from you at a time he was already disappointed.

I think ignoring is the answer and try to focus on the positive interactions.

My DD can be awful. So awful I sometimes ask her if she talks to her BF the same way as she talks to me. Obviously she doesn’t though as nobody else would put up with it!

Does he like to do anything with you? My DD will like to watch sone reality TV with me but it’s very much on her terms.

Do you do things outside of the home too, things just for you?