You can try telling her how you feel – preferably at a time when she’s fairly calm and reasonable, not when she’s shrieking. But in all honesty, you might just have to be zen about some of this behaviour and wait till she’s a bit older. Try not to reward it, though.

A bit like toddlers… pick your battles. By all means stay form on the big and important boundaries but make sure you’re clear and consistent! If you’re super worried, get her to a doctor, but otherwise burn up as much of the snipe as possible with sports and friend catch ups if you think she’s got a good friendship group. The venting to get friends is a healthy and appropriate way for her to talk about things and people who are annoying her.

Ugh, the preteen stage. This is when parents are the lamest and any push back feels like the world is ending. Try to keep your cool, tell them you can hear what they are saying and it must be tough to feel this way, and hope they simmer down. Good luck, and know when she turns 18-20 she will realise how rough she was (I know I did, big apologies were given to my mum!)

It is such a good idea to invest in books and resources on raising children and teenagers. There are indeed such different stages when it comes to raising children and it can help to do some reading. I have found books to be useful tools in understanding children and the ages and stages.

Just keep remembering this age doesn’t last forever… it is tough but hormones are creating havoc within their minds at this age and while obviously you still need need to have rules and boundaries try not to take the mood swings personally. Give her (and yourself) time to calm down and then afterwards talk about appropriate behaviour and respect Be firm and fair. It’s not easy but you got this mumma 🙂

Children do test their boundaries with parents because they are safe people. Children start to want more independence and it is normal for them to start pushing parents away and explore their own identity. Throw hormones and many other factors into the mix and it is indeed an interesting time. I stay calm but also expect manners to be used and schedule in time for catch ups. It can be nice to go out and have a drink at a cafe and chat.

It’s a small consolation…but you bear the brunt of this burgeoning puberty because she feels safe with you. She might not show it, but she knows there’s nothing she could do that would make you turn away from her
It sucks. And, again, a small consolation, she will come back to you. Your relationship will recover just as fast as it changed.
Right now she is full of pre-puberty hormones. They play havoc on us adults, and we have the emotional maturity to be able to regulate them (in theory).
You can still draw a line in the sand of what behaviour you will, and will not tolerate. Pick your battles and sometimes, it’s ok to let the small things go. I don’t lose my cool over a slammed door, believe me when I say I’ve wanted to slam one a time or two.
I will not tolerate being lied to. or spoken to like I don’t matter.
Verbalise your boundaries. Make the consequesnces for breaching them very clear and follow through.

My daughter is starting to go through this, I try and spend some one-on-one time with her every day whether it’s watching some tv together, going for a walk, or baking something. She seems to crave my attention. I’ve also talked to her about puberty and hormones and that it’s normal to have up and down emotions

I am very sorry to hear you are going through this. This age can be very hard with all the emotions that young girls start to experience around this age. It is a hard conversation to have but if you haven’t already, it is important to sit her down and explain that her attitude towards you is not acceptable and being disrespectful is not on and if it doesn’t improve would it be worth considering taking away her ipad or something that she really likes until she starts to be more respectful?

It can be an awful time as they head into the teenage years. I’m sure you have but sitting down and trying to her about being respectful and how she looks when she talks like that in public. . Or maybe have someone else she cares about gently approach her about the way she speaks to you. A grandmother or someone close.