Staying calm when your teenager tests you | DadHQ

Staying calm when your teenager tests you

6d ago1 min read

My kid is at that age where he's pushing boundaries and being smart with me. What separates a man from a boy is not blowing up when you're disrespected. I stayed quiet, looked him in the eye, and said 'We can talk when you're ready to speak to me with respect.' Walked away. He came back later and apologized. That's leadership. Not yelling, not getting baited. Teaching him through your actions that a real man doesn't lose his cool.

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Comments(6)

DDerek M.New Dad6d ago

Smart parenting. When you don't take the bait and stay level, that's when they actually start listening. My kid's learning that the hard way right now too.

DDerek P.Regular6d ago

This right here. I'm learning that same lesson with my kids at work and at home. Staying calm when someone's testing you is way harder than blowing up, but it's what separates the men from the boys like you said.

PPatrick M.New Dad6d ago

The teenager years are tough, man. I've found that staying quiet and collected when they get smart actually gets more respect than getting loud back. Your kids are watching how you handle the pressure.

SScott M.Regular5d ago

Walking away for five minutes before responding has saved me more times than I can count. My oldest is 16 and that eye roll used to drive me up the wall until I realized he's just trying to figure out who he is.

RRobertRegular4d ago

The hardest part is remembering that testing you is part of his job right now. He's supposed to push. The difference between a man and a boy throwing a tantrum is controlling what comes out of your mouth when you're frustrated. Easier said than done though.

LLuke M.Regular4d ago

What separates a man is being able to admit when you lost your cool too. I've had to apologize to my kids after I've yelled, and honestly that taught them more about manhood than staying calm ever could.