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How do other dads cope with privacy issues and how do you over come them ?.
My daughter is 12 she will costantly sit in the bathroom in the morning for an hour until its time to go to school, although she has been up in plenty of time to have been washed and breakfasted, the excuse is that she is not hungry and then will give attitude knowing that at all times her privacy is important to both of us not only from the teaching of respect for others privacy but as she is growing up she knows that she can use this rule against me. 😳
Her bedroom is a constant battlefield of dirty clothes and stuff just thrown round the room, ok a typical teen bedroom then, but as i am a single dad i find it very difficult to instill a sense of pride in appearance when her school uniform is not put in the wash basket.
At the moment the style seems to be ripped trouser bottoms !, 😕 .
Any thoughts ?
Hi BigTed
Welcome to Teens!!
My sons bedroom is a mess but according to him it is tidy - his clothes are left everywhere usually with tissues in pockets, he constantly leaves glasses around the house and everything is an issue!!
We have recently asked them both to knock on the bedroom door before entering and we have agreed to do the same. But typically they will stand at the door and knock very loudly for a minute or so before entering.
Unfortunately it is part of growing up and pushing their luck knowing that they are pressing the right buttons to wind you up.
No advice because I am falling for it every time and just argue, shout or walk away. However you really are not alone on this.
Good luck with it
Her bedroom is a constant battlefield of dirty clothes and stuff just thrown round the room, ok a typical teen bedroom then, but as i am a single dad i find it very difficult to instill a sense of pride in appearance when her school uniform is not put in the wash basket.
Maaaan your living my life - I can't see my kids carpet for clothes. Calm, calm, find my happy place.....mmmmm that's better. I have recently been accused of infringing my little cherubs human rights by asking her to collect up her dirty clothes and clean her room. 🙄
I gave her the website address for Liberty and told her if Shami Chakrabarti agreed I would let her off cleaning her room.
Seriously - its the teens, you'll have to get used to it. Try rewarding for tidying the room, bringing her dirty washing down. Carrot rather than stick.
She is gonna push boundaries as much as she can, and will try to show you how adult she is by mentioning privacy.Thing is to keep a cool head and remember its gonna get worse ( a lot worse) before it gets better. But what the hey that's what DadTalk is for isn't it ? 😀
I used to get myself worked up about the state of the kids' bedrooms - i.le. apple cores under bed along with crisp packets, half eaten sandwiches etc etc etc but in the end I decided it wasn't worth the arguments and tension that came with it. With teens you very much have to concentrate on the big things that come along such as underage drinking, drugs,staying out late etc and pick your battles accordingly, being prepared to turn a blind eye to other more 'minor' issues.
We now leave their rooms alone and when it needs to be hoovered say, gather up all the clothes up from the floor and put them all at the bottom of the wardrobe! It seems to work. Nothing is washed unless it is brought down to the washing machine. I do collected up glasses, open windows (to air) etc but that is all. My daughter will have a cleaning, tidying session every now and then, when she can't bear the mess any longer either! It is much more peaceful now!
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