Children can suffer greatly when their parents split up and divorce. They can be made to think that they are a burden. They spend most of the week with one parent and are then farmed out at weekends with the other. Every time the weekend parent informs the week parent that he or she is not free a certain weekend, an argument seems to start. It is almost as if the parents are doing their child a favor looking after them.

Younger children sometimes do not appreciate the situation. Their week time parent is the one who gets them up for school, makes them do their homework and ensures they are in bed at a reasonable time. The weekend parent, having been free from the kids all week, is able to spoil them and do fun things, before handing them back on Sunday night. With a teenager, things are slightly different. They are at an age where they are easily embarrassed by their parents. They can become moody and withdrawn. You certainly cannot entertain them by whizzing down the park and pushing them on the swings a few times before taking them for a burger. You have to put a lot of thought into what you are going to do together.

The ideal situation for a teen is for your parents to work together. They are the two people who brought you into this world. You have a bit of both of them in you, however hard that may be to admit. But your parents rarely spend any time with you together. It would be nice to think they had the grace to discuss your progress together. It would also be great if they stopped bickering and trying to outdo each other. Of course you never wanted them to divorce in the first place, but that is the reality and you have to make the best of a bad deal.

Teens want their parents to listen too them. Why can't they ask you what you want to do? They seem to make all the decisions and expect you to fall in line. If you don't want to do something that suits them, they brand you difficult, awkward and refer to your tantrums. Parents were teenagers once. Surely they know how difficult it is being caught between being a child and being an adult? If only they would stop going over the top trying to please you and just listen to what you think would please them.

Learn more about this author, Phil Hill.
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