Book Recommendations - communicating with teenagers.

[PrawnOfCreation]

It's like banging my head off a wall.

We've tried discussion. Shouting. Punishment. Reward. Backing off.

He's only doing what they all do and going through puberty and exams. Is there a book, an online course, a parenting class aimed at parenting teens? We've sailed through every other stage, the problem is most likely something I can change - how we communicate, motivate and interact.

All suggestions welcome.

What about date days? Take them out to a restaurant, no phones, have a nice meal together and talk about whatever it is that is causing an issue and come up with a plan to deal with it together. Worked for my sister, I think it's because they feel as though they are being treated like an adult :) good luck teenagers can definitely be a challenge

Hiya - I have found 'how to talk so that teens will listen and listen so that teens will talk' very useful - recommendation came off here. Good luck - its absolutely horrendous isn't it?

It's rough, but he's a good lad and we'll get there. We do make time to talk, but it can be a struggle getting him to say when he needs support rather than just acting up and from our side I think we're failing in reassuring him that the support and love is always there, even if he's in a pickle of his own making. (He does something, bad results ensue, he panics and hides it, it all catches up to him and it's 10x worse and school going mad etc) We just want him to come to us, say "I've messed this up, or I'm worried about this thing, help me" and for us to be able to give the support in a loving but also firm way.

It's like dealing with an adult who sometimes has the impulse control of a toddler.

Thanks for the recommendations. Appreciate the sympathising too. It is hard.