Be a safe space for your kids to confess mistakes, y'all.
I want my kids to pick up the phone and ask me what to do... not commit several criminal acts trying to escape a fender bender.
If she knew she could make mistakes without her grandmother coming down on her like a ton of bricks, she would have handled this differently.
I feel like I know what she was going through, as a teenager. I'm several times her age now but I had a few full blown panics like this, not always car related. A reassuring parent is the most calming thing you can have in these moments. KNOWING that they'll be that person for you can seriously curtail the initial panic. Panic mental states always lead to bad judgements. But knowing you can get a cool head in there to think for you is good for your mental health.
With my teenage kids, my biggest point of emphasis is along the lines “if you think you are the worst trouble of your life, it’s best to call me and I promise no one else will help you more.” They know I can’t fix the problem, but I can likely prevent the situation going from bad to worse.
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u/riceklown Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Be a safe space for your kids to confess mistakes, y'all.
I want my kids to pick up the phone and ask me what to do... not commit several criminal acts trying to escape a fender bender.
If she knew she could make mistakes without her grandmother coming down on her like a ton of bricks, she would have handled this differently.
I feel like I know what she was going through, as a teenager. I'm several times her age now but I had a few full blown panics like this, not always car related. A reassuring parent is the most calming thing you can have in these moments. KNOWING that they'll be that person for you can seriously curtail the initial panic. Panic mental states always lead to bad judgements. But knowing you can get a cool head in there to think for you is good for your mental health.