What age do you find more tricky?

[Angusros]

And how did you survive it?

Going through a tricky one with DC15. Occasionally the sweet child resurfaces.

I think I am aging fast.

Daughter - year 11.

Son - year 8

Issues were mild but at the time it was really hard.

no violence or anything sinister, just too much social media and stress about body image for our daughter.

our son was just low level disruptive and got caught vaping.

15 to 19/20 was the worst with my son. It coincided with him leaving school for vocational college, Covid (so the college was a bit of a disaster), break up of his first serious relationship and a new relationship with a girl who smoked weed every day. Being let down very very badly by someone who he had really respected and saw as a father figure (his own dad died when he was six). OMG it was awful. I made some mistakes too and I have regrets. He’s 22 now and much better.
On the other hand my DD wasn’t tricky at all, though at 20 she sure has been coming into her own these last couple years - opinionated or what! And she’s always been a bit moody but definitely when she’s tired keep away. She has MS though and has a lot to deal with day to day.

So far A’level years and transition to uni x 3. Not because of their behaviour with me but supporting them through bumpy growing into adulthood.

Thanks. For DD is stress with school pressure, hormones, body image. I feel I need to be around as much as possible to support her, listen, be present. Social media worries me too and the image is selling to our kids.

We are quite emotionally connected so I can feel her struggles more deeply

With my DD age 16-19 were pretty horrendous- coincided with an awful boyfriend. Life was really really tough and I actually feel some trauma thinking back to those times. She is now 20 and pretty lovely and we have a good relationship. Middle son - never really had any issues and eldest son (now 24) we had a rocky time during Covid, left school etc. He continues to worry me a bit as he’s a loner and a deep thinker. Doesn’t matter how old your kids are, you never stop worrying !