Why Parenting Teens Feels so Hard

Why Parenting Teens Feels so Hard

Parenting a teenager is one of the most challenging roles you’ll ever do. The emotional highs and lows, the push for independence, the moments of connection followed by complete shutdown…it’s exhausting, confusing, and sometimes heartbreaking. Understanding what’s happening inside our teenager’s brain can really help. 

Teenagers aren’t just being difficult for the sake of it. 

Teenagers’ brains are still developing well into their mid-twenties, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which is the part responsible for reasoning, impulse control, and emotional regulation. This means their emotions take charge before their reasoning brain fully catches up, and they act on impulse, react instinctively, and often struggle to regulate big feelings. Their developing brain prioritises immediate responses over careful reflection, which is why they may lash out, shut down, or make decisions that seem irrational to us.

This understanding doesn’t always make it easier in the heat of the moment, but it does give us a new lens through which to see their behaviour. When we shift from frustration to curiosity, from reacting to supporting, we create the kind of connection that keeps the lines of communication open, which is something our teenagers need now more than ever.

Meeting Your Teen Where They Are At.

So how do we parent with more understanding and less power struggle? Here are some small but effective ways we can shift our approach and in turn, strengthen connection:

  • Be the calm in their storm – When emotions run high, try not to match their energy. Take a deep breath, pause, and respond with curiosity rather than reactivity.
  • Validate their feelings – Even if something seems small to you, it might feel monumental to them. A simple “I am hearing that’s really tough for you” can help them feel heard.
  • Pick your battles – Not every issue needs to be a confrontation. Prioritise connection when you can.
  • Encourage independence, but stay available – Teens push for independence, but deep down, they want to know we are still around. Let them know you’re always there without forcing a conversation.
  • Take care of yourself—Parenting a teenager is emotionally demanding and can also be draining. Prioritise your own wellbeing so that you can show up for those you really care about. This might look like a walk outside, a coffee with a friend, or simply a moment to breathe before responding.

The Small Glimmers of Hope.

In the messiness of adolescence, there are moments of connection that remind us that our kids still need us, love us, and want to belong. It might be a fleeting smile, a random text, or a late-night chat when their guard is finally down. These small glimmers of hope are worth noticing and holding onto.

Parenting through this stage isn’t about getting it perfect; it’s about showing up with warmth, presence, and a willingness to understand. If you’re finding this season overwhelming, you’re not alone. Parenting is usually really hard when you’re doing a good job of it. It means you’re trying, you’re engaged, you care deeply, and you’re working hard to guide your teen through one of the most challenging stages of life.

If you’re feeling stuck or want to explore ways to support your teen (and yourself) better, I’d love to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out. 

In the meantime, take care. 

Megan x

Meal Planning- why it should be at the top of your ‘To-Do’ list

Are you…too busy, too tired and too stressed to have time to prepare proper meals? I work with lots of busy women just like you.

Meal planning is one of those areas that can really cause stress if it’s not under control.  We all know what it is like to walk into the house after work or after collecting children from school activities and not having a clue about what we are going to make for dinner. Hurry, hurry, rush, rush, scramble, scramble – we end up grabbing something quick and easy that is not necessarily that good for us. Meal planning is one of the easiest things you can do to make your life healthier and better in general, but is one of the first things we neglect when life gets busy.

The good news is that it just takes a little bit of planning ahead of time to get this area of your life under control. Not only will your reduce stress, but you will save money, and make smarter food choices! Planning meals helps you manage your time better and it can turn a hectic week into one that is much less stressful. It can also help you improve your own personal health and the health of your family.

Follow these quick steps to get your meal planning under control:

Make a list of meals.

Get a piece of paper out and make a list of your family’s favourite meals. You’ll be much more likely to succeed at meal planning if everyone likes what’s put on the table or in their lunchbox. I like to look on line or in my recipe books for inspiration and aim to try one new recipe each week (of course some weeks are more successful than others.) This adds to the repertoire and keeps meal times interesting.

Design a menu for the week.

You can make your menus a week at a time, two weeks at a time, or a month at a time…whatever works best for you. I work a week in advance. Grab a blank sheet of paper and choose meals from your lists for each day of the week (breakfasts, lunches, and dinners). Keep in mind if you have certain days of the week that are busier than others…plan easier meals for those days.  Place your menus in a prominent place such as on the fridge so you can see it easily each day.

Make a shopping list.

Do this and you’ll never have to walk the supermarket aisles in a fog again! Take a look at the meals you have on your menus, check out the recipes, then make your grocery list based on what ingredients you need to buy. Don’t forget to check in with what you already have. It’s amazing how many ingredients we already have sitting in our pantry and fridge. If we can incorporate these in our meal plan and only shop for the extra ingredients you need you will save yourself some cash – bonus!

Hit the shops.  

Once you have your list in hand, go shopping! Try and shop mainly in the outside aisles as this is where all the fresh, unprocessed food is stocked. Stick to your list and don’t deviate. Come home, put your groceries away and pat yourself on the back. You are well prepared for the coming week.

Prepare meals.

By setting aside a small amount of time to prepare food for the coming week you are off to a good start. For me, a bit of time out on a Sunday helps set me up for the week ahead. You could cut up a whole lot of raw vegetables like celery, capsicum and carrot for healthy accessible snacks. You might like to prepare a batch of soup and possibly even a casserole. You could get the kids involved in making some homemade muffins or a loaf. Many things will keep in the fridge for at least a week, especially when packed in the appropriate containers.

I know this seems simplistic, but it really doesn’t need to be hard. Follow these easy steps, and you will be well on your way to being organised in this area of your life!

Let’s recap:

–          Meal planning is one of the best ways to make smarter food choices.

–          Preparing meals ahead of time saves time, money, headaches, calories.

–          Pick a few recipes and go grocery shopping with a list.

–          Keep healthy snacks on hand for when you aren’t able to eat a meal.

–          Have some meals pre-prepared in the fridge or freezer for those weeks when life gets in the way.

So could you benefit from an injection of order into your crazy, busy life? I can help you with a healthy pantry overhaul, help you with meal plans, food preparation and recipe suggestions. I can even take you on a shopping tour and teach you how to interpret food labels and make smarter food choices for you and your family. If this is something you would like to know more about, don’t hesitate to contact me. Together, we can get you back on track.

http://www.chasingsunrise.com.au/contact/

Find your ‘Dream Team’ for Better Health.

All of us need a good support network and our lives are made all the better by having people to help us out when we need it. When we decide and are committed to change it is vital to have the right people around us to encourage, support and celebrate our success. This is what I like to call a ‘Dream Team’ – they are people who genuinely care and want the best for us. These people want to see us achieve our goals and fulfil our potential.

Whilst some people lift, nurture and encourage us, others can have the opposite effect. They are the people who might shoot down our idea, lead us astray, appear uninterested or are just plain unsupportive. They are the people that want you to keep drinking with them, putting on weight with them, being stressed along side them… they will sabotage your efforts because it is uncomfortable for them to see you step up. For you to succeed shines a light on their own insecurities.

Choose Carefully.

Our wellbeing is certainly influenced by those around us so it is important for us to surround ourselves with a team of people that cultivate healthy and positive behaviour. If we can keep this in mind we can have greater insights into the quality of our interactions and their energetic effect on us. We need to choose our team carefully – as they will help us strive or wilt.

I encourage all my clients to choose a ‘Dream Team’. In my experience they are crucial in supporting a person achieve positive and lasting change. Our team inspire us to be a better person, can provide us with motivation to achieve our goals, empower us to make changes, hold us accountable and are happy for our success.

Who Makes Up a Dream Team?

Positive people that enrich our lives. They might be:

–          Family members

–          Friends

–          Co-workers

–          Mentor/Coach

These people see the potential in you, even when you are having trouble yourself.

My Team.

I am fortunate to have a large network of family and friends around me. Having said that there are only a few I would consider make up my ‘Dream Team’. My team inspire me, challenge me, love me, support me and absolutely want the best for me. They are people I can call on to talk through a problem, to gain perspective, get balance or reassurance. They are my own little cheer squad and I am immensely grateful for them in my life. On the flipside there are those that can leave me feeling flat and frustrated after interactions. They are the takers, they lack personal awareness and are egocentric. I have learned over time to manage my interactions with them.

How to Engage Your Team.

Tell people they are part of your team, allow yourself to be vulnerable, share your dreams, goals and desires. In many cases it might be helpful to tell your team what support you need. Don’t expect them to necessarily know unless you are specific. Our journey to wellness can be made so much better by having people to be strong when we are weak and offer perspective when we feel lost.

I would challenge you to have the courage to ask for support, to acknowledge that we are stronger when we to lean in. Surround yourself with people who are going to cultivate this new, healthy, positive change you want.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need some help with gaining the right support to become your own best version of self. I would love to be part of your team. http://www.chasingsunrise.com.au/contact/