Am I a Failure? A Parent’s Perspective on Raising a Challenging Teenager
Though it’s tough to admit, parents judge each other, especially when kids are young. Whatever your child does, good or bad, seems to be a reflection of your parenting. So, what about when you’re raising a challenging teen? Are you a failure as a parent? You may think so, but it’s all a matter of perspective. It’s a New Generation You may be trying to parent the same way your parents tried raising you. Remember, things are different for our kids than they were for us growing up. Most kids wouldn’t dream of talking back to parents or teachers long ago. Much of that is due to the way the media (traditional media and social media) glorifies and normalizes teens disrespecting adults and authority figures, and not because of your parenting skills. Teen Rebellion Is Normal What has stayed the same for decades is the need for teens to push the envelope during their adolescence. At about nine years old, your otherwise gentle, loving child may have begun to change. There are four causes for teen rebellion that you can’t control and that is not your fault as a parent: Hormones are shifting and raging to make your teen’s moods