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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Miserable Teenager...help!

3 replies

Mummywheel · 14/10/2014 16:00

I have an 18 year old DS who has recently split from his girlfriend. For a whole week now he has shut himself in his room refusing to talk. I have offered sympathy, a shoulder to cry on and tried all I can think of to cheer him up without success. I'm now beginning to feel cross with him because he isn't trying to help himself. On the verge of telling him to pull himself together as it's affecting the whole family. However I don't want to do anything to make him feel any worse. I guess most teenagers go through this at some stage in their lives but really need some advice as to the best way to handle the situation. He is studying at college at present and don't want it to affect his studies.

OP posts:
Silkchiffon · 14/10/2014 18:52

If he feels heartbroken then there's not much he can do to help himself other than get through it and it would be pretty harsh to tell him to 'pull himself together'!

As long as he is still going into college and eating normally etc then I personally would leave him to get over it in his own way.

nequidnimis · 15/10/2014 08:02

I don't think a week is such a long time really.

I guess he feels how he feels and there's not a lot he - or anyone else - can do to change that.

If he's shutting himself away, then at least he's not being angry or argumentative with the rest of the family.

Personally I'd still be sympathetic but if you can't manage that then maybe a matter-of-fact, business-as-usual cheery approach would be better than telling him to pull himself together.

Mummywheel · 15/10/2014 18:36

Thank you for your comments. I think we may have turned a corner today as he seems happier in himself and beginning to talk again :) After reading some of the other threads in this section I have to say that our problem is minor compared to others. Heartbreaking to read :(

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