Need Somewhere to Vent

[Deedeem]

I've come on here because I don't really have a lot of support in my life. I'm a single mum with 2 teens. My boy, who is 15, is disrespectful, back chats, argues, sulks, gets angry and sometimes, I actually want to run away. It's not always like this but when it is, i'm ready to pull my hair out. I was in tears this morning.

I adore my boy but it just so difficult, as most of you probably know already, so I dare say i'll be on here more often than not from now on. Holding in all the hurt, frustration and anger is doing me no good whatsoever.

vent all you want .. i think there is times when we all need to let off some steam :)

i was a single mum with 4 kids once, i know how hard it is bringing them up alone, but saying that the kids attitudes dont change just cos there is a man in the house lol

If it makes you feel better welcome to my world
No advice apart from this too will pass ( I hope!) x

15yr old ds here too and I feel your frustration. Sometimes I think he will never grow out of his selfishness and I despair a bit.

I wish teen years came with an end date. It would be much easier to deal with!

Thanks ladies! Letting off steam is an absolute must otherwise a build up will result in an explosion...directed at my son. Not good!

I've even started blogging about it! :)

Deedeem there's so many posts just like yours, where the poor OP is either in tears, about to be in tears or just was in tears at the behaviour of their DS (and sometimes DD too). They really are little buggers at this age.

Some of the best advice I saw on MN was the "disengage" response. Maybe you know it already, but in case not, I'll repeat here. When your 15yr old is disrespectful to you, you say "No, that's not how you speak to me. I don't want to discuss this any further until you can speak to me politely/nicely/quietly". And then leave the room, and refuse to engage in any further conversation. By refusing to pay them attention, and engage with them, when they are behaving so badly you can usually stop it escalating into the all-out yelling scenario in the kitchen.

Don't give him any opportunity to argue. If you have told him he can't go round to a friend's house as he hasn't done his homework, then that's it. Don't give him room to argue and back chat by qualifying it with "and I don't think he's a good influence on you etc" as that gives him an opportunity to argue that point with you.

As his mother, you will always love him, and he can take advantage of that. Stand your ground, you deserve respect.

I've got a 16.5 yr old DD. And, you know what, I am begining to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Hang in there!