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Teenagers

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

Is 14 “peak teen” ?

31 replies

SirVixofVixHall · 02/10/2019 13:16

My dd is 14, fifteen in three months time. She is all over the place ! Very, very condescending and rude, particularly to DH, then apologises and is her old nice self for a day or so, then more stroppy, ungrateful, entitled behaviour. I feel as though I could and should be dealing with this more effectively. DH is upset as she is so unpleasant to him, and he has had a very tough year (bereavement).
She has had her ‘phone taken away for rudeness, door slamming etc, but it seems to make no difference. Her take on this is that confiscating her ‘phone doesn’t improve things, and that if we just left her alone and imposed no sanctions, that she would mull over her behaviour, feel guilty, apologise etc, whereas taking it away makes her angry and resentful. Hmm
She is very well behaved at school. She is at her worst in the mornings, but getting her to sleep on time causes arguments each night as she wants to stay up later and not be treated “like a little child”. If she does have a late night she is horrible for the next few mornings. She has a medical condition which makes her tire more easily, and can affect mood, which doesn’t help.

I am stressed by all the conflict on top of a very difficult year. I need the wisdom of mothers of older teenagers !

OP posts:
SirVixofVixHall · 06/10/2019 20:28

I think I need a shed.
Today she has been great , I have to say. She has been working hard without any stroppyness. Definitely the week before her period, and about a week of it, is the worst half of the month so hormones are a factor too.

OP posts:
Daddylonglegs1965 · 06/10/2019 20:28

DD is 14 in year 10 I am also in the midst of it.
Her periods are all over the place so I try and cut her some slack sometimes.
But like your DD at times (most of the time) her attitude, tone of voice, lack of respect etc is appalling.
I don’t do it often but I do sometimes resort to taking her phone off her if she is really bad. It’s the only thing that works.

SirVixofVixHall · 07/10/2019 09:38

Yes, my dds cycle is only recently starting to be more predictable. I know that doesn’t help. I also try and cut her some slack and avoid going head to head where possible.
But similarly, it is the tone of voice, the rudeness and arguing about everything, that drives me up the wall. I want to enjoy these years with her as I can see that all too soon she will be off and away.

Lots of wise words here, i am thinking about each post.

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 07/10/2019 14:30

I want to enjoy these years with her as I can see that all too soon she will be off and away.

Have you told her this?

How about trying to focus on the positive stuff for a while? What do you do together that's fun, and can you do more of it? Do you talk about stuff that's important to her? Can you make more time for that?

It's a bloody difficult age to be, and even though they're difficult sometimes, they need us more than ever. I would try to look past the grotty behaviour as much as possible and focus on building a positive relationship. Just because the behaviour is bad enough to warrant a punishment, doesn't mean you actually have to give one out. Cut her some slack and be kind.

GreatestShowUnicorn · 07/10/2019 17:07

Check out the book 'blame my brain
' it's a good read for you and get.

GreatestShowUnicorn · 07/10/2019 17:07

Her

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