Parents please help: I feel like no one ever listens…?

Published by admin on April 30, 2010

I asked this in parenting since older and more experienced people would know better than other teens. And please read the whole thing if you are going to answer because I legitimately want help and am not just trying to moan about my life. Thanks

I am not trying to be emo or anything but I feel like no one really listens or cares at all. I talked to my parents about the fact that I feel ignored by them because they pay attention to my younger sisters and I feel like I just get shafted all the time, and they totally blew up and started yelling that if I thought they were horrible parents that I should leave or that they would put me in military school or something. I told my mom that she doesn’t really ever listen to me and just brushes me off and guess what, she brushed it off and didn’t listen. My dad never really is happy with anything I do, and I can’t seem to get his acceptance either.

I have two sisters and it seems like both of my parents have their "favorite" of them, but where does that leave me? The only time I really feel okay is when I hang out with another older friend of mine AWAY from the house (I am home-schooled). I don’t want to be horrible to my parents or anything, and I really love them, but how can I get their attention? I don’t want to act out but I don’t feel like I have any choice. The only attention I feel like they show me is negative. How can I get them to notice me? I am 16, by the way.

I’m sure your parents aren’t actually ignoring you as much as it feels. I can sympathize with you though i have 8 siblings. Its a touchy subject to bring up with your parents but try again only focus mostly on you and how you feel not on how you think they are ignoring you all of the time. Say something like i feel like i don’t get to spend any special time with you can we just go do something just the two of us or even three of you if you want to include both parents at once. Even if you family doesn’t have much money you can do something like take a walk with your parent and it will satisfy the craving you have. Just state you would like alone time with your parents. Another thing i would recommend is ask to go to public school or at least out of home schooling. I’m a firm believer in public schools as it gives or forces if you’re shy opportunities for peer interactions a lot more often, it gives you public speaking opportunities, and it helps you see yourself away from your parents. Remember you need to make it about you and how you feel or your parents are less likley to respond positively.