It sucks when your teen is disrespectful.

It sucks when your teen is disrespectful.

They answer your questions with attitude.
They don’t respond to your texts.
They break the rules.

And your irritation, annoyance, and anger bubble to the surface.

Naturally, you respond with, 
“You’re being rude” or,
“All you do is think about yourself” or,
“You’re grounded!”

You feel compelled to stop their behavior.

But what if they don’t intend to be disrespectful?

(Stop and think about that for a minute.)

When you entertain that possibility, you don’t take their behavior personally.

It allows you to feel more compassionate and curious.

Your teen is going through a huge transition period. They’re trying to establish friendships, get comfortable with their body, figure out who they are and what’s important to them.

And you are a safe space for them to take out their insecurities, aggressions, and fears.

The quickest way to end their disrespectful words or actions is to change your response. 

Instead of reacting emotionally from a place of frustration and anger, respond intentionally from a place of compassion.

Invite them into a conversation.

Describe what you notice, like you’re sharing an observation with a friend.

Invite them to share what’s happening inside of them that’s causing their behavior.

You might think, “Okay, Jeanine, but will this work for me?” 

Ask yourself, what results are you creating right now? Are they working for you? For your relationship? 

Are you willing to try something different? 

If you want your teen to be respectful, give it a try and let me know how it goes.

♥️ Jeanine

P.S. Would you like a parenting partner to help your teen take responsibility and be considerate? Then let’s do this! CLICK HERE, and let’s make parenting easier for you.  

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