tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285812026509923711.post164753887010889481..comments2023-05-25T08:46:57.049-05:00Comments on Parent Survival Skills Training (PSST): When a parent gives the teenager the Silent Treatment.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05032767385348497272noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285812026509923711.post-32069565088796275552016-10-08T21:41:16.650-05:002016-10-08T21:41:16.650-05:00(Thanks to Lloyd for this thought-provoking reply ...(Thanks to Lloyd for this thought-provoking reply to the question posed by Anonymous, above.)<br /><br />When stressful situations like this arise it is difficult to remember that the only person you can really change is yourself. On top of that it sounds as though both your husband and your son have placed you in the middle of this stressful situation. Because you are a caring person and mother, you have accepted responsibility for straightening out the relationship between the two men. In a way, your husband is not out of contact with your son, but rather he communicates with your son through you.<br /><br />I am wondering what would happen if you no longer acted as a conduit. Perhaps they would work things out. Perhaps not. Either way your son will not derive his entire self-image from this current silent treatment. No doubt you are listening to your son when he expresses his feelings about his father. Continue to do this and trust that something good will come of it, even if it is just that your son learns that it is not him but it is his father who has dropped the ball on the relationship. I realize that this may sound callous or uncaring. Or it may seem like no advice at all. Still, the power of changing one's self can often set in motion changes in others. For example, if you give yourself a vacation from being the middle man in their relationship it might help you feel better. If they try to drag you back in you can say things like, "that would a good thing to say to your father," or "I don't have the power to make your father change and unfortunately neither do you." "I'm glad that you realize that it's not your fault that your father is giving you the silent treatment." <br /><br />Your son did not cause the problem with his father. He also can't fix the problem if his father persists. These are the points that you can make with him that might do some good. <br /><br />Referring yourself and/ or your son for counseling probably would not hurt, although you may find that if you extricate yourself from the middle of their problem you feel better about the situation. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285812026509923711.post-21127037151681536212016-09-30T11:16:28.832-05:002016-09-30T11:16:28.832-05:00My son is a great kid never been in trouble at sch...My son is a great kid never been in trouble at school or home always loved and talked up to his father (we not together ). The father is upsey because he decided my son is " uncaring" my sons crime ? - he didn't call his father to check on his sick Aunt . <br />It's been months since the dad has contacted him . I've been in the hospital sick for months off - my son is an only child - the father STILL won't contact him even though I begged him to from my hospital bed <br /><br />As the other article states below the silent treatment it is abuse and it is effecting my son . He is damaging a great kid his own son with this power play and I don't know what I can do to mediate the situation or help my son realize his fathers cruelty is no ones fault but his own . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285812026509923711.post-56189872305506592992009-07-08T17:52:33.350-05:002009-07-08T17:52:33.350-05:00This is so true!! It is like torture or abuse to...This is so true!! It is like torture or abuse to do the silent treatment on someone, especially someone with a drug problem or a dual diagnoses. I went through that with my ex husband who wouldnt talk to me for a week at a time, it is horrible to do to anyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com