How do you validate teens feelings?

[Peacot]

How do you validate teens feelings?

Having a bit of siblings rivalry reg some snacks. One not talking to the other. I think is because they gave the last one to someone else instead of them.

Do you intervine? Help validate the other person feelings.

I am sure I am overthinking all this parenting.

Leave them to it

I shall. Thank you.

I am overdoing this parenting stuff I think 😅

Buy more snacks

The hardest part of parenting so far, for me, has been letting go a little and letting them navigate things themselves. Hugs x

I did, but not straight away; after 3 days.

I am pretty sure is because they choose to give the last of their favourite snack to someone else, and ate most of them.

I do need to let go on this one and let them sort themselves. I have an orchid child and a dandelion child

I think just listening to them is enough. Properly listening and not trying to shut them down.

Is hard isn’t it? You want to do what is best for your child; but there are some things they have to navigate themselves.

Thank you

I am working hard on this one. Listening instead of trying to make things better, fix everything.

Ohi, DS1, that was a bit unfair eating all the crisps.
DS2, Shame there are no crisps left. What else do you fancy? You could fry an egg, or make some cookies?

Good one

I guess it helps that we would have the ingredients in the house to make said cookies! I know not all houses would.

Yes, it isn't always easy. Our natural instinct as parents is to want to fix things and make them ok. I have learned over the years that this is not helpful. Sometimes they don't need solutions, they just need to be heard.

We had an ongoing snack issue. One child that eats very occasionally and another child that’s starving at 2am.

The first child felt, not unreasonably, that they only occasionally wanted a biscuit and it was unfair that there were never any left.

The other child felt, not unreasonably, that they shouldn’t have to leave a biscuit tin of increasingly stale biscuits on the off change their sibling might want one.

Very, very easy solution. First child gets their own snack box entirely off limits to second child.

Negotiation is fine, sometimes the solution is practical.

True. DC2 is hating DC1 after 2 days still. And Ai think DC1 doesn’t even remember the reason anymore 😅