Raising Adolescents: Our Chance to Revisit the "Unfinished Business" from our own Youth

There's no doubt adolescence is a huge time of growth and transformation for our youth, but do opportunities for our own personal growth also lie in this period for the elders in their lives?

Robin Grille, father, psychologist and author of "Parenting for a Peaceful World" and "Heart to Heart Parenting" believes they do.  Yes, our kids press our buttons in the most unexpected ways, and to the depths of our core.  One comment or a side-ways look can have our hackles rising immediately.  Where do these reactions of ours come from?  We may feel completely justified with our feelings, but it's possible, as Robin suggests that the adolescents in our lives are taking us back to our own 'unfinished business' from when we were making our own way through that tumultuous time.  

When we find ourselves in this place of conflict, we can know that we always have some choices here: to ignore the source of our reaction, and continue pushing for the outcome we are seeking in that moment.  Or we can roll our sleeves up, and seek out the unresolved wounds from our past that come hurtling into the present.  But we need support for this.  It's big work for all of us.  Help comes in many forms, listening partnerships, counselling, peer support and workshops, such as Robin's "Inner Child Journey".

Yes, there are in fact precious opportunities for healing our dear young ones bring us.  In a way, as Robin says, 'they grow us up'.

Hear more from Robin about the hidden treasures of adolescence for all of us in this new podcast.

Robin will also be visiting our region later this month to speak with parents and elders with adolescents in their lives.  He will also be holding an Inner Child Journey to help us identify our unfinished business - and heal it.

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