Raising a teenager is one of the most difficult trials that we as parents have to go through. They’re moody, independent, difficult and think that they know better than you. Daily it seems like they test the limits of your patience to the point where you think you’ll go insane. Having a group of parents online who are going through similar situations can provide you with some much needed support.
When you are going through a difficult time with your teenager, sometimes the last thing you want to do is share your trials with your friends or family. You don’t want them to judge you as a parent, or think less of your teenager. Having a support group on the internet allows you to feel free to share your situation without the fear of being ridiculed. You can also feel comfortable knowing that the experiences your family is going through won’t turn into idle gossip among your family and friends.
New Insight
A huge advantage to sharing your trials with other parents on the web, is that they can provide you with new and valuable insight. Most likely you will encounter someone who has gone through a similar situation and can tell you how they were able to overcome it. There will also be many parents who share stories of scenarios that went badly and in these cases you will be able to learn from their mistakes and become a better parent because of their experience.
A Sense of Camaraderie
When you are going through a difficult time with your teenager, you feel like you don’t have enough patience, that you don’t know how to communicate effectively with them, and even like you’re a failure as a parent. In these low moments, having a group of cyber parents to turn to can give you a much needed sense of camaraderie. Reading about similar situations of parents that have gone through the exact same thing as you, and maybe even worse will make you realize that you’re not alone.
A Feeling of Hope
After sharing your experiences and learning from others, you will be able to leave these cyber support groups feeling better about the struggles between you and your teenager. This feeling of hope comes from a combination of not feeling judged, gaining new perspective from parents who have gone through similar situations, and realizing that you’re not alone in your challenges. You will get through these struggles and having a support group of cyber parents will help you.
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