Older kids and teenagers may reject you as part of their growing up. Try not to take it too personally. That is why it is so important to make time to do things with them when they are younger.

 

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Do not expect your teens to make it easy for you. Part of parenting is telling your teen things that she doesn’t want to hear: telling her to do things that she doesn’t want to do because she should or because it is good for her, and telling her to stop doing things when she wants to continue. She will not thank you for this. She will likely resent or fight you. This does not mean you have done anything wrong. Do not take your teen’s dissatisfaction or frustration as a sign that you have. Sometimes you have to be the bad guy, and there is no way around it. Do not wait for her to make it easier on you before you become the parent you want to be; she won’t.

 

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