I'm A Therapist – Here Are The Best Ways To Respond When Kids Hurl Insults At You

Spoiler: getting into a shouting match probably won't help.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

Sometimes in the heat of an argument, tweens and teens might say things they really shouldn’t. They might’ve told you to “f*** off” or called you a derogatory term that made your blood boil.

While you might want to scream back at them (how dare they insult you after all you’ve done for them?), sometimes the most effective response is to be calm and collected.

Therapist Charlotte Jefferson, who is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), tells HuffPost UK this is something she comes across frequently when engaging therapeutically with families and teens.

“When your teen is shouting insults or swearing, it can help to remember that the priority isn’t winning the argument, it’s more about regulating the temperature of the interaction,” she says.

If your teen is dysregulated – which they likely........

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