It happened today in my office. I kid that had been going at it with her mom over every single issue said the magic words: "It's been a pretty good week, I got some things done even though my mom was bugging me to do it." One of the clearest signs of a maturing teenager is when they can do somthing even though their parents want them to or even suggested it. Rebellion gets old Of course the rebellious stage gets old for parents. But did you know it gets old for the teenager too? When every issue becomes a battle for independence, even the strongest of heart can wear out after a long period of time. Not only does making every issue a battle for independence wears you out, it lowers any negotiating power you have. If you fight everything, what's the point? Gold would not be worth much if we had an abundance of it to go around. Learning to pick her battles One the the most important thing this kid is learning is how to pick her battles. She has learned to save the drama for issues that are worth having drama about, and not fight over every little thing. One more step along the road to maturity, and hopefully a more quiet house and happier family. Visit ParentingYourTeenager.com for tips and tools for thriving during the teen years. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 5 day e-program on The Top 5 Things to Never Say to Your Teenager, from parenting coach and expert Jeff Herring.
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