It used to be that Miss M adored me.  We used to have such fun together……….and then she became a teenager. She just graduated from high school. And now we cannot get through a day without one or the other of us getting annoyed or upset. She is SUPER critical of me and I feel like I can’t do anything right. Today it happened again.

We went to Target today to buy her a different water bottle. I tap her on the shoulder to show her something and she says “don’t tap my shoulder, I don’t like it.” She may have said please. Regardless……we got into another argument because I get so tired of her saying things like this. And it feels like yet another criticism. I feel like I can’t do or say anything right. She tells me she’s not annoyed and she was being respectful when she asked me not to touch her. There have been times I’ve tried to hug her and I get “I don’t want a hug.” And I do take that personally. She’s sullen most of the time and hardly offers any affection.  Did I mention she’s a teenager?

I am very sensitive and she throws that in my face all the time. And she did it again today. yay. not.  Like I don’t know that I’m sensitive? I feel like we both have expectations of the other that can’t be met.  She’d like me to stop taking things so personally. And I would like her to listen to the things I say. I tell her not to do something over and over again. She continues to do the thing I ask her not to do.  How do I not get frustrated with that?  I think the key is to not have ANY expectations whatsoever.  But how does one accomplish that? I am googling at the moment and reading some stuff.  But I am 58 and have had a lifelong issue of being too sensitive. It doesn’t help that my daughter criticizes me nearly daily.  It’s hard to take!!

Does anyone have any advice?  And, if this belongs in the parenting section, please move this post.  To me, since it’s the relationship that needs help I thought this section was appropriate.

Thanks for any advice.