Supporting a Grumpy Teenager

Do you have a grumpy teenager? We can’t expect our children to always be happy and we all have patches when we feel grumpy. But many parents feel their previously happy child seems continually grumpy since they’ve started puberty.

Many children experience periods of sadness in their childhood. But maybe your child seems to be moody all the time?

We can use lots of words to describe being moody. Your child might be grumpy, miserable, have a bad attitude, surly, always moaning, or never happy.

Deciding whether they are behaving disrespectfully, or if their behaviour results from feeling anxious, can help you decide how best to tackle it.

Looking for reasons behind the behaviour

Children are often unhappy or anxious because of changes in their life. Your child may seem surly because they’re worried about moving home, changing school, or changes to your family situation.

Talk to your teen about what you’ve noticed. Often, they are just looking for a listening ear, so avoid trying to solve all their problems for them.

You can explain how their behaviour is making you feel and help them find better ways to cope when they’re feeling worried about something.

You might notice your child’s behaviour happens at a particular time or location. Physical feelings of hunger, thirst, and being tired can have big effects on your child’s behaviour, even as teenagers.

If you spot a pattern, you can make simple changes to help them cope or avoid the situation.