Lay a Solid Foundation Now for the Teen Years

Before Doug and I scoot out the door for a few days of camping in the redwoods with our horses Destiny and Echo, I want to give you another update on the responses to my survey..

First of all, I so appreciate everyone’s responses to my survey questions. They have been so helpful to me and will definitely guide me as I develop new coaching programs and products for you in the future. I’ll be responding to some of you personally via email. I LOVED hearing from you!

One of the themes I notice in your responses is feelings of fulfillment and ease as a parent tend to decrease as children enter the teen years. Even when your child is young, some of you are already worrying and wondering about the adolescent years.

One mom wrote, “I have a fear of the rebellious teenage years to come even though my 3 daughters are only 7, 5, and 2 at the moment. I hope I have the strength and patience to discipline consistently so they “stay the course…”

I think many parents of young children can relate to her fears and concerns. This is a concern parents frequently share with me when they see a limiting behavior in their young child and worry what her future will be if this behavior continues into adolescence and adulthood. These are very real and significant concerns.

Another mom who has already walked this road shared her experience, “Very mixed…..I have 2 daughters (22 and 28 yrs).  They are very different in their relationships with me.  The older one is extremely distant while the younger one is hot/cold.  When they were young (to middle school age) they were both extremely loving, affectionate, close and a pure joy. 

My biggest challenge is wondering where things went wrong with my older daughter that has kept her at such a distance for the past 10 yrs (since she went to college) and wondering if there is anything I can do but wait and hope she comes back.”

This is one of the most profound pains a mother or father can experience. Yet it is not a unique story. So many parents of teens with whom I speak share the confusion and angst of wondering what happened to the loving, affectionate younger child they once knew. Now they’re facing a child who has grown distant and who’s response is usually, “no.”

If you’d like to prevent or stop making unconscious mistakes that push your child away when they enter adolescence and adulthood, this is one of the topics I’ll be discussing on my special F.R.E.E. call next MONDAY, AUGUST 31.

I’d love to have you join me on this call to learn: “Beyond Techniques: The 5 Most Important Understandings that Will Immediately Bring More Joy to Your Child’s Eyes and Transform Your Relationship with Your Child”

These 5 valuable principles taken from my new book Joyous Child Joyous Parent will help you create a strong, more loving connection with your child whether you have a young, adorable child or a surly, defiant young adult.

Reserve your spot in this F-R-E-E call here:
http://joywithchildren.com/party.html

You're welcome to invite your friends and family to the call. The more people on the call the better it will be! Use the link above to share with your friends and colleagues:

I look forward to "seeing" you on the call!