One of the hardest things about being a parent is when your teenager develops a bad attitude and you struggle to maintain a good relationship with them in the face of their disrespectful behaviour.

Teenagers don’t mean to be full of attitude and we know that, but it doesn’t make the situation any easier when all you seem to do is have arguments with your teenager because of their moods and attitude.

Dealing with it can be tough and it is certainly a testing time for parents. Sometimes it can happen now and again but for some parents, they’ll find their teenager has a bad attitude most of the time.

Here are some tips on dealing with your teenager's bad attitude. 

  1. Try and stay in control of your emotions.

    When your teenager is giving you a bad attitude, it is easy to lose your temper and let your emotions take over. However, you must try and remain calm. When you lose control then your teenager will follow suit by raising their voice to match yours and so forth.

    Instead, stay calm and remember that their bad attitude isn’t about you and it is more about them. You may worry that their attitude may be caused by something sinister but in most cases, teenagers are just lashing out. Try and figure out if there is something going on in their lives that they may be hiding from you. 

  2. Keep to the rules.

    Don’t lose the run of yourself when your teenager is being rude and remain true to the boundaries and rules they understand. Stop short of adding more rules because of their behaviour, especially if they are something you may not be able to keep to. This teaches your teenager that you won’t follow through and they will get away with it.

    Rules should include not raising their voice at you and being respectful. Ensure your teenager understands this and when they show a bad attitude to you or others in your family, give them a warning.

    Place consequences on them if they don’t adhere to the rules either by removing their phone, taking devices away or banning them from going out for a day or two. 

  3. Keep communication with your teenager.

    It’s too easy to ignore your teenager when they have had a bad attitude and upset your family routine, but you must stay in communication with them.

    Remember you are the adult and must show them how to manage their grievances with those they love and move forward. If things are said, then you might want to bring that up with them at the right time and tell your teen why it upset you.

    Try and find common ground by doing something together and trying to work on your relationship. 

  4. Ask questions and be interested.

    Try and stay on top of what your teenager is doing in school, who their pals are and where they spend their time so you can note when their attitude might be worse after being in certain circumstances.

    If the behaviour continues you may be able to track it and figure out why they are being this way. However, it may just be a teen phase and luckily, it won’t last forever. Check their homework, see what they are working on and if you are worried check in with their teachers. 

Hopefully, in time things will settle down. 

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