I’m not one of those people who spills all and leans on friends like I should in times of crisis. It’s only after the storm has started to subside that I’ll sit down and pour out my thoughts. So, here I am. The storm has begun to subside, for now.
My daughter. Jeez. Where do I begin? I’ll start by saying RIGHT NOW, things are pretty good. Things are looking up. And yesterday, I saw the biggest sign of progress I’ve seen in a long, long time.
She’s depressed, but I’m beginning to see that she’s more manipulative than anything else. And she’s completely heartbroken over this boy who influenced her to do a laundry list of stupid things. We’ve had a solid week of HELL with that girl. Yesterday, though, she wrote a letter to her ex-boyfriend. She told him she loved him, but that she was letting him go, and even though she knew she was falling, she had lots of people who love her, waiting to catch her. And then she gave it to him. I can’t even begin to tell you how pleased I am with this. I’m so proud that she’s finding some inner strength to stand up for what’s good and right. She’s being considerate of herself and of her family and friends for once, instead of thinking of this lameass boy. And she’s finally seeing her own future, outside of a relationship with him. THANK GOD.
So, that’s where we are right now. We’re seeing a new, WONDERFUL shrink, who will hopefully outline a plan of action for getting our child back to where she wants and needs to be. And I can only hope there will be a ripple effect throughout the family, so that when the girlchild gets better, we ALL start to get better. Because it’s definitely affecting all of us. Everyone is walking around pissed off and high strung. Yay! Happy days in this household, NOT.
It’s getting better. Think happy thoughts for us, okay?
I always think happy thoughts when I think of you. More calm vibes heading your way from me. ((Hugs))
hi. i just stumbled upon your blog and was reading about your teenage angst.
while my child is still a toddler, i did go to school for psychology and worked 4 years at an inpatient psychiatric facility with adolescents. believe me, you are lucky.
i can tell you a couple of things that might lighten your load:
1. the frontal lobe of your brain (responsible for logic and reason) does not fully develop until around age 25. teenagers live in the hippocampus (the part of the brain that deals with emotions.) that’s why they are so dramatic and emotional.
2. hormones. they are rarely addressed in the psych world as we tend to treat the symptoms, but they send teenage girls off in a tail spin.
3. my mother always told me this: teenagers are supposed to be awful so that when they turn 18 you WANT them to leave! otherwise, they’d live with you forever.
hope this helps! stay strong!
Alicia – thank you SO MUCH for the kind words. My friends and even my own mother have told me the same thing, about nature making teenagers behave horribly to make the separation easier on all of us. I appreciate all the other facts, too!