Every emotion you experience has a purpose, and although it may seem at times that emotions interfere with your thinking, they actually contribute significantly to your intelligence and your ability to navigate through your life. An emotion will provide you with information, direct your attention, motivate your behavior, protect you and help you to reach your goals. And knowing how to interpret them is essential to your psychological well-being.
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When something about your teenager is bothering you, stop and think for a moment before doing anything. Remember that adolescents take very unkindly to unnecessary intrusions into their business. Shooting from the hip can cause a lot of trouble.
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Most of us can relate to the frustrations of a teenager who receives a gift that doesn’t fit their style. When I was 14, my aunt bought me a dictionary for Christmas. I am sure I did my best to look happy and act thankful, but it was not the gift I was hoping for. In fact, the next day, the dictionary was shoved in the bottom drawer of my desk where it remained untouched for a long time.
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I recall having a mini nervous breakdown the morning my tween son sat down at the island for breakfast, and I noticed his childhood nose had disappeared. He had grown a young man new nose overnight! When he left the kitchen, I sobbed like a basket case. Like I did after dropping him off on his first day of Kindergarten.
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