I Am The Ugly Duckling?

Sometimes being the ugly duckling is not just looking different from what is familiar. It also involves acting different, choosing different paths, and making choices that others may not agree with. This can create tension with the people close to us and it can be difficult to cope with and handle when we don’t have the right tools to deal with it. The next two posts will be reflections from a son and father’s point of view. The third post to follow will provide some information on family conflict and strategies and tools that families may apply to their relationships.

“I began to feel like an outsider, partly because I would sleep in the day and play poker games at night until sunrise. Somewhere along graduating high school and poker games I felt like an outsider to my own family. Conflicts got more heated and became a daily routine. I felt like no one in my family understood me. I still feel like this, four years later…and I have nowhere to turn.”

Many teen and parents struggle to find common ground, to discuss tough subjects in a respectful and effective manner and to communicate in ways that build bridges rather than walls. When distance sets in it is quite common for teens to turn to hurtful behaviours to cope, begin failing at school and even resort to cutting, drug misuse and running.

Call us today for more information on how our Oshawa counsellors can help.

Tomorrow, in the post Am I a Bad Parent?, we hear dad’s point of view. It is hoped that these posts help families, who share similar challenges, not feel so alone and learn new strategies for positive growth.