SO YOUR TEEN IS A NARCISSIST — DON’T WORRY IT’S NORMAL

Photo by Victor Jauregui from Pexels

If you have a teenager, and you’re still moderately sane congratulations? If you have entirely lost your mind, breath, you are not alone.

It turns out that it is a normal part of a teenager’s development to be self-involved, egocentric, arrogant little know it all’s. If I only knew then what I know now…. I would have made a whole host of different mistakes with my teenagers.

While much of a teen’s visible physical growth is done, the changes that you can’t see are still occurring. The onset of puberty brings hormonal changes and associated mood swings. But what we don’t realise is that right up into their twenties our kid’s brains are still developing. In particular, their prefrontal cortex, associated with their ability to think, plan and reason.

Navigating the challenges faced by today’s teens is difficult and often confronting. If you are not challenged, you are not doing it right. Finding a balance between letting them grow as individuals while also providing them with the necessary boundaries to keep them safe is hard work.

It’s crucial during this time that you make sure your teenager has full access to support services when they are struggling. They may not be able to speak to you about some of their concerns. Let them know you are there if they need you, but that seeking help takes courage and is not something they should feel ashamed of.

I have added a few Australian resources below that might help.

Parents Line — Parentline is a confidential telephone service providing professional counselling and support in Queensland and the Northern Territory. The call centre is open every day from 8 am — 10 pm, while their WebChat is available every day from 8 am to 9 pm. 1300 30 1300 find out more

Reach Out
ReachOut is Australia’s leading online mental health organisation for young people and their parents. find out more

Raising Children — Australian Parenting Website
Parent Helplines and Hotlines find out more

Triple P Parenting Program — Provides an online program
A free program for QLD residents find out more

Triple P Parenting Program — Outside of QLD find a service provider find out more

Triple P Parenting Program — Tip sheets & resources

Diverse Voices — Diverse Voices is a non-profit organisation with a focus on the wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ communities through the operation of the Gay Line and Lesbian Line, a peer telephone counselling service. find out more

Arafmi — providing support to carers and family members of a person with a mental illness. find out more

Yarn Safe — Yarn Safe is a program run by headspace developed with the help of 12 incredible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people from across Australia, who have continued to be involved in the campaign find out more