[CantExplain]

Hi guys!

My daughter (14) and I have nothing to talk about. Which means we don't communicate at all.

I'm tempted to write this off as teenage behaviour and wait until she reaches a more talkative age. But I'm worried, too.

Any ideas?

[unaluna]

Well, you did send her away the other night, telling her you needed your space. I would look at that as a rupture and try to apologize for it. She wanted you, not her laptop. How would your T handle that?

[gon3withth3wend]

I would tell her that you don't like that you two don't talk, and then tell her you want to change that. I've always talked to both of my parents. I talk to them more than anyone else. I also argue with my parents more than any other people, but that's okay. It is not "normal teenage behavior" for you two to simply not talk. If you actually opened conversation with her, and listened to what she's interested in, then you would have something to talk about. Or you could go do something together, or watch a show or movie together, and talk about it. You should fix this now before it becomes a problem.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by hankster

Well, you did send her away the other night, telling her you needed your space. I would look at that as a rupture and try to apologize for it. She wanted you, not her laptop. How would your T handle that?

She's not sulking if that is what you are suggesting.
I'm entitled to ask for some space.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by gon3withth3wend

I would tell her that you don't like that you two don't talk, and then tell her you want to change that. I've always talked to both of my parents. I talk to them more than anyone else. I also argue with my parents more than any other people, but that's okay. It is not "normal teenage behavior" for you two to simply not talk. If you actually opened conversation with her, and listened to what she's interested in, then you would have something to talk about. Or you could go do something together, or watch a show or movie together, and talk about it. You should fix this now before it becomes a problem.

She doesn't argue with us either. She just says "shush!" and waves us away.

[CantExplain]

Thanks goodness for TV! We watched "Rocket City Rednecks" together.

[CantExplain]

Ha! She spoke to me again.
She wanted to use my credit card on the internet.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by hankster

Well, you did send her away the other night, telling her you needed your space. I would look at that as a rupture and try to apologize for it. She wanted you, not her laptop. How would your T handle that?

I talked about this with T, and she says that if I'm working from home, I have a right to have my workspace respected.

So I now feel much better about doing this.

Yes, she did want me, but I suffer dreadfully from the Curse of Adam.

[unaluna]

well, as dr phil says, you can be right, or you can work on fixing this. all I hear is "you, you, you" - your t said, you feel better, you suffer from the curse. look, I am just as, if not more, insufferable than you are. but I don't inflict myself myself on anyone else - just unsuspecting subcribers to PC. and my T. I do try to be a little nicer to my T. I don't try to win there - I try to learn. I guess I should step back and try to learn here too.

[Vibe]

Don't forget that she is still a child. Teenagers need their parents just as much as kids of any other age group. They may need a different type of care but parental involvement is fundamental and, as with all kids, it's still mainly about them.

[pachyderm]

Real listening can be better than talking, some times.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by hankster

well, as dr phil says, you can be right, or you can work on fixing this. all I hear is "you, you, you" - your t said, you feel better, you suffer from the curse. look, I am just as, if not more, insufferable than you are. but I don't inflict myself myself on anyone else - just unsuspecting subcribers to PC. and my T. I do try to be a little nicer to my T. I don't try to win there - I try to learn. I guess I should step back and try to learn here too.

((Hankster))

I see a little Italian girl who was always told to go away.