Reply to What makes teens so annoying to parents?

Forum Index » Tweens and Teens

Reply to "What makes teens so annoying to parents?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Mine is on the verge of being a teen:

Honestly, you just start losing your grip on them. For instance, I am trying to keep a routine this summer that doesn't include constant video games, screen, etc. It's been one confrontation after another.

Communication:

Me: How was school?
DS: Fine.
Me: What did you enjoy the most at school today?
DS: Stop interrogating me.

Me (calmly): turn off the tv and find something else to do. 
DS: In a minute.
Me (a minute later, calmly): turn off the tv and find something else to do.
DS ignoring me
Me (calmly): You've been watching tv for three solid hours. Turn it off and find something else to do. 
DS: In a minute
Me: (a few minutes later, raising my voice): find something else to do or something will be found. 
DS: Why are you yelling? I was doing what you wanted. You don't have to be so crazy.

[/quote]

some gentle advice:

instead of "turn off the tv and find something else to do" why not try...

"hon, can you push pause a second?"

"you've watched a lot of tv today.  how much longer is this episode? please don't start another one."

you get to the same place (within a few minutes) but you show respect, you model polite discourse, and you don't make them feel quite so ordered around.

[b]no one likes to be interrupted in the middle of something[/b].[/quote]

Agree. They aren't fully formed adults, but its good to model respect if you want to receive it yourself.  I've actually found that the techniques I used on dc as a toddler work now.  DH will interrupt a video game (or whatever) and say "do x now" and is frustrated when he gets a grumpy response.  Just like with a smaller child, I give options, both of which are acceptable:

"I'm going to the gym in 30 minutes.  Do you want to come with me, or do you want to take the dog for a walk?"  
If he says walk the dog, we agree on when he's going to do it.

This is the teenage version of "Do you want to take a bath first and then read a book, or read a book and then take a bath?"

It gives them at least an illusion of control.  
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics