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Teenagers

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

trouble with teen daughter

34 replies

jennysunny · 09/02/2017 15:26

my 13 year old daughter is constantly telling me she hates her life because i'm her mum. I had her relatively young (21). We just constantly argue and the looks I get off her are of pure hatred. I didn't have the best upbringing and was deprived of a lot so I vowed to be the best I could for my daughter and give her everything she wanted that I could afford. I am worried now that I have spoilt her too much and made her into a 'spoilt brat' she has no respect for me or her father and shouts and talks to us worse than something you have trod in. If I ask her to empty the dishwasher or tidy her room in just ends up in a screaming match with me in tears and ruining the night so I try not to ask too much. I really at the end of my tether and am starting to get a little depressed and thinking maybe she would prefer if I moved away?

OP posts:
jennysunny · 10/02/2017 09:38

Ledkr that sounds exactly like my daughter, one minute we'd be singing or she's wanting to do my hair or makeup then the next she looks at me with hatred and tells me to go away. if I joke with her and say she's sang the wrong word of I I say I think her makeup is a bit orange then she flips out and tells me I'm being nasty. I have to be careful to speak around her incase a say something wrong and that will ruin the full day! I have had a lot of great advise on this site, I'm so pleased I found it yesterday. I'm going to it my foot down and try some of the strategies suggested and will let you all know how I got on xx

OP posts:
Ledkr · 10/02/2017 09:48

Ok what helped me was picking only 3 things you want to change.
Also, using the analogy of "the wet towel" I was told in my training to pick it up as it's you and not her who's bothered about it. I struggled with this but the trainer explained that it was only "for now" and untill our relationship healed and got stronger.
I struggled with this but it helped.

FarAwayHills · 11/02/2017 20:55

Ledkr
The wet towel thing I would find really hard to deal with. Isn't picking up after yourself just basic manners and not really just about a parent being house proud or a tidy freak? I get there are times when you have to pick battles or let things go and I have to do this a lot but at the very minimum I think everyone should at the very least pick up after themselves otherwise they think that cleaning up after them is my job.

swingofthings · 11/02/2017 21:03

What I've learnt with my two is that teenagers go through phases. Sometimes they are 'normal' and sometimes they are nightmares to the point of questioning everything we've done for them until then and making us worry that there is something very wrong with them.

I experienced with with my DS when he was 12. He was rude, showed real anger problems, argued over everything, any response I got from him was aggressive, slamming doors, and at the same time, appeared very withdrawn, not wanting to come out of his room, not showering, room looking like a pig sty and suddenly, I was convinced that he was suffering from depression.

By the time I had made full plans to deal with his being depressed, he seemed to suddenly totally snap out of it. He started to engage in some conversation, I was able to ask him to do something without him shouting back, and I even started to see the occasional smile! Since then, there have been ups and downs, but certainly getting better each month. Two years later, the anger outbursts are rare, and even though I still get some huffing and puffing, he is much more accepting of my requests, ok, orders!

Whatever you do, don't show that you are losing control. She will herself feel anxious about her behaviour and not understand why she feels so angry all the time. Your DH telling her that she is upsetting you is only going to make her see you weak and that's a dangerous position. She needs to be clear that whatever her behaviour, you remain the boss and the one that makes decisions and impose rules, not the other way around.

It's utterly exhausting to be constantly battling with them for the most simple things, those who we thought we had long established when they were younger, but do hang on and continue to stick with your demands and rules, otherwise, there is a risk that the roles become reversed before you know it and she starts ruling the roost.

newusername567 · 11/02/2017 21:14

Spoiling her and giving in is really not the answer. I feel for you I really do. My mother committed suicide when I was a teen and I really fear the same thing will happen to others I care about. After spending years bringing up my dd alone she cleared off and I haven't seen her for a few years. I spoilt her rotten and was always afraid of upsetting her incase she hurt herself too Flowers

Ledkr · 12/02/2017 09:07

faraway yes I struggled massively with it and actually never really did it, but the analogy is that if things are so bad in your house that there is no joy or moments of harmony, that you drop your standards "for now" and can concentrate on other stuff until the relationship is calmer.
It's not just about that to be fair but when I changed my approach my house became happier and I get on really well with dd now.

swingofthings · 12/02/2017 09:29

Taking the analogy of the wet towel, my approach is that I agree the concept of picking battles, so my approach would be to continue to ask for it to be picked up on the basis that it is their responsibility to do so, then ask again, and then pick it up myself, but making the point that I did for the sake of peace and respect for other people in the house, but that it would still be nice if they realised that it is for them to do.

So no battles of wills, but the message about own's responsibility remains. Otherwise, that's where the concept of 'spoiling' comes in when all social responsibility is removed from them, and from there comes the risk of taking for granted that others will always pick up their 'mess'.

Ledkr · 12/02/2017 10:11

Yes I think that's how I did it. Bearing in mind that the training was more aimed st families near to breakdown.
I started saying "have you finished with that towel/bowl/milk" which ended up as a bit of a family joke! I even say it to dh!! Grin

yeOldeTrout · 12/02/2017 10:26

I have a theory that DD is the sea & I'm the cliff on the shoreline. She may be calm & lovely or stormy & violent. But I need to just endure. Me being stolid & constant no matter what she is like, is actually very reassuring to her & brings her back to calm faster.

ps: I don't have to actually like her very much to be the solid cliff to her wild ocean.

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