Parents often struggle with these strong feelings as their children become teenagers. That experience is made even more painful when their son or daughter reaches age fifteen. It’s no wonder, then, that during this period, behavior tends to change overnight. You’ll notice a difference in attitude, a lack of respect perceived, and a need for independence. Few parents are unfamiliar with feeling angry, frustrated, or even disgusted by their teen, which can create the tension of competing emotions.
Eleanor, a mother realing through this stormy season with her fifteen-year-old son, has bared her soul. She candidly admits, “I don’t like him right now. I can’t feel that. I hate him. I really hate him.” Such sentiments speak to so many parents who are struggling to navigate the tumult that soon-to-be teenagers can bring.
The teenage phase is an especially important period of development for the child. For many families, fall is an exciting time of year —but it’s a stressful one. At this time especially, a lot of parents might be put off or just want to be alone as they deal with their grief and/or anger. Eleanor reflects on this common experience, stating, “I don’t like the way he’s been treating me. I feel worse when he acts like this in the house.”
Missing their friends Experts reassure teens that these emotions are normal for this age. For instance, when in public they call this period the “dreadful teenager stage.” This phase of development—including a radical emotional transformation—is to be expected and embraced, yet the adolescent applies terrible emotional distress on themselves and their guardians. It is a beautiful yet difficult moment, teeming with moods and actions that can appear quite horrid through a parent’s lens.
To deal with such overwhelming emotions, mental health professionals advise rethinking how parents understand their kids’ actions. Eleanor takes parents to task for calling their teens’ choices “gross.” Rather, realizing that this stage is just an expected developmental shift can go a long way towards reducing some of the anger felt by parents. Understanding that annoyance or anger is a natural response can help bring peace in the stormy times.
As a parent, don’t forget to take advantage of tools such as Google reCaptcha. They can play a crucial role in safeguarding your online engagements when looking for support or solutions to parenting obstacles. Picture this. While you’re connecting with the online world, the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service ensures your info stays private, so you can focus on raising the next generation.