Parenting teens is all about being a strong pack leader. We here at the Teen Support Institute see ourselves as the Teen Whisperer and absolutely love Cesar Milan as The Dog Whisperer. His show is a great example of how people do not know how to effectively lead their animals with their “being”. And it is the exact same way when it comes to parenting teens.
If you have ever seen the show, you will notice his slogan is “I rehabilitate dogs and I train people”. By saying he “trains people”, he is saying that dogs are reflecting to their owners their energy and state of being. Dogs are just following this energy and therefore if the dog is exuding negative behaviors, it is because of how the owner is leading the dog. So the dog is just a direct reflection of the owners energy.
As a parent, if you don’t like how your teen is relating with you, then the first thing you need to ask yourself is “How am I relating with my teen?” And “How am I being the pack leader?” In many cases (not all) your teens energy is a direct reflection of you as a parent as the pack leader. If your teen is arguing with you or fighting you every step of the way, there is a disconnect between you and your teen and this stems from how you have established your relationship with them on a very core yet subtle foundation. Your teen is very psychic and picks up on every little subtle detail from you as a parent. If you have fear, anger, stress, or anxiety in you, then your teen will think this is normal behavior and then lead their lives in the same way.
So the next time your teen is acting out in a way towards you that you don’t like, make sure that you are being a strong “pack leader”.
And if you need help call the teen whisperer (that’s us)!