Withdrawn Daughter

Tips for Handling Teens

Instead, provide nurturance appropriate to the teen years which often means from a distance. Here are some ways to do so:

• Expand her boundaries which include a little later curfew and
  opportunities to attend safe activities not before allowed (parties, concerts, shopping trips).
• Provide lots of nutritious food that's available for her to eat when she's hungry.
• Let her keep her bedroom (within reason) as her own.
• Honor her privacy, don't snoop through her backpack or read notes she leaves on her desk.
• Allow her into your adult world by telling her of your day; she'll feel honored you're trusting her with information of your life.
• Go to her school activities, sports games, school plays, and concerts, just wear beige and don't say a word.
• Understand the importance of her friendships. To bridge the gap between childhood dependency on parents and independence as an adult, teens rely heavily on peers.
• Keep in mind, your daughter is displaying annoying behavior typical to her developmental age. The bad news is that's there's no effective way to stop it. The good news is that it will pass.