Is your daughter’s behavior a bit of a riddle right now?
You may be thinking it’s just spring fever; but I suspect something else is going on – at least that’s what my clients are telling me.
If you’re confused by your daughter’s overly dramatic responses or inability to disconnect from YouTube – you may want to read this!
And, I’d like to invite you to look at Spring Fever a little differently.
That nervous energy or moodiness you’re seeing right now is likely fueled by fear and uncertainty – AKA – Transition Time.
Whether she has a small or big change on the horizon, transitions can be one of the most challenging adjustments for teenage girls (and their parents) because the list of unknowns often cause sleepless nights and major mood swings.
Rather than engaging in the push-pull that happens when your daughter doesn’t know how to express her feelings and emotions, help her dance into the future and curb the transition fears by:
Using the Energy to Cultivate Curiosity
- Encourage your daughter to brainstorm ideas, thoughts and solutions
- Remind her of a time when she was afraid and moved through her fear and was okay – or better yet – super proud
- Normalize those conflicted feelings because it’s common to experience multiple emotions at once
- View every new experience is an opportunity to grow and learn about what makes her tick
“Many times, the thought of fear itself is greater than what it is we fear.” ― Idowu Koyenikan
Creating a Future-Self Avatar
- Invite your daughter to share how her “future-self” will handle new situations
- What’s a mantra or saying she can repeat that feels empowering and builds confidence
- Have her use the power of visualization to create an updated version of who she wants to share with the world
- Make future decisions as if the world is conspiring to make you successful
“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso
Liberating your Mind
- Consciously look at the way you view procrastination and stress
- Your daughter can learn from what her mind/body are saying by asking “what’s the message here?”
- Recognize if she’s catastrophizing her situation and then help her distill the facts from interpretation and develop an action plan
- Highlight the importance of progress and what she’ll learn about herself along the way
“Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become.” – Hal Elrod
I’d like to encourage you to share these ideas with your daughter, then ask her:
- what does she need more of?
- what does she need less of to move though this time of transition?
Sometimes this can be hard for you to implement at home – let me make it easier for you.
Take the first step by getting on my calendar here.
If you’d like MORE RESOURCES, including effective phrases you can use to have a good conversation with your daughter, this article will help:
Fearful about the Middle School Transition? Help is here … Part One
Do you have a secret approach for creating a smooth transition?
Please share it because when one student is confident and happy, the positive energy is contagious!
