I get nothing but ‘lip’ from my 15 and 17-year-olds and I think I am really respectful of them! They see their friends giving a lot of guff to their parents and then it comes home to our house. My suggestion? Get them with another relative or older friend who has some distance from them—and tell that person to be really strict about the eye-rolling and talking back. I think it’s getting too close to your kid that makes them feel they have the upper hand. I know, when I just give up, my mother can rope them back in line!
Janice Leiber 12/09/07