How to Stop Over-Reacting to "Bad" Teen Behavior
Parenting out-of-control teenagers is a tough job for sure!! And it’s totally understandable when parents fly off the handle because their teens continually exhibit blatant disrespect and hatefulness. But sometimes, we as parents get stuck in a cycle of over-reacting to our teen’s “bad” behavior, which weakens our immune system and tends to make a bad problem worse. One of the best parenting strategies we can employ is to “avoid throwing gas on the fire” by over-reacting in the heat of the moment. This one strategy alone will reduce your parental stress by at least 50%. Do you often: Assume the worst about your teenager’s behavior due to his bad “track record”? Feel alarmed by your uncontrollable reactions to her rude comments and putdowns? Have to apologize for your abrupt actions or words? Lash out when your teen is ill-mannered? Regret things you say in the heat of emotion? Withdraw when parent-child arguments get emotionally overwhelming? If you answered “y...