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Isn't research cool? This neuroscience study really validates what so many teen parents are feeling....a shift away from their child's interest in the parent relationship and towards peers.
This doesn't mean they have stopped needing you, or relying on you (especially in those big overwhelming moments), but that they are developing a new set of experiences necessary for their eventual launch.
Hang in there. Even if it's a brain based shift, it isn't easy!
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mom-voice-kid-brain-teen-neuroscience
In this video, the speaker discusses teaching children to be socially capable while also recognizing and speaking out against abusive power dynamics, rejecting the notion that respect equals compliance and emphasizing the importance of paying attention and setting boundaries.
In this video, learn why dismissing a child's emotions can hinder their ability to gain perspective, and how to help them process their feelings to build emotional resilience for bigger challenges later in life.
The idea of toughening up your children to deal with the world only makes you their first bully, stripping them of their sense of belonging with you; treat your children with respect and connection so that they instinctively protect themselves from unkind and cruel treatment.