World War III And Your Teen
There is no other relationship save the one with great countries that can be as difficult to maneuver as the one with your teen. Your ignorance to the events that transpired before you walked into the room will influence their reaction to you. Bummer! The day was almost done without one mistake.
The developing teen brain it turns out actually has a special process that thankfully is maturing, but in the meantime perceives slights more sensitively than a 30 or 40 year old might. This is why you can ask, “Would you like orange juice?” and all hell breaks loose.
For some teens, this will be mixed in with a desire for respect. The seeming slights will be perceived as disrespect for who they are. Disrespect for what is important to them. Disrespect for who they are becoming. Only you know if this is true, but most likely your love for your teen outweighs any desire to disrespect this budding adult. It is part of the process that they will not understand fully until they have completed the journey of adolescence.
The anger thrown your way can drain you of loving energy you wanted to share with your teen and if you’re not careful it can influence your future interactions with your teen until your guard is up as high as theirs and the silence is deafening, the tension thick and the hurt so deep that you forget that this is your child. This is part of the process of teaching them that you love them unconditionally. Remind them of that love often. Remind them because they too can get wrapped up in a moment and forget that you are not the enemy.
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