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15 year old girl for3 days either looks at me like she wants me gone or she walks away & won’t talk

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15 year old girl for3 days either looks at me like she wants me gone or she walks away & won’t talk

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Isblind

15 year old girl for3 days either looks at me like she wants me gone or she walks away & won’t talk

So my partner and I have started the divorce process over the past few weeks. We do not fight and carry on we just obviously have an expiration date. For the past year I have been on anti depressants and for the past 15 days have just finished getting off them (yay) we still sit and eat together, watch movies together the whole jazz. Not to hide anything but to keep the household calm and collected while we all go through this transformation. I spoke to my now. X partner and asked her if I have done anything wrong to our daughter or said the wrong thing. The answer was no. But ever since they had u on the lowest strength you do seem to talk a lot more than usual. I know I’m an introvert normally but In my head I see these next few weeks as my last chance to be together as a unit. She feels I am not listening to her and I talk over the top of her. How do I approach her about it? Or should I even approach her on it? It breaks my heart when she looks at me like she want me dead.or as I don’t exist. Any ideas would be helpful
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Janine-RO

Re: 15 year old girl for3 days either looks at me like she wants me gone or she walks away & won

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Hi @Isblind , 

 

That sounds really tough - can I ask, is your daughter aware that you and your partner are in the process of starting to separate? Do you think that some of what you are sensing from her might be her feelings about the changes that lie ahead? It sounds like you and your partner are making a big effort to keep life as 'normal' as possible, and I'm sure that will be a hugely protective factor for your daughter as you go through these changes. It's clear how much you love your daughter and how much you are putting her well-being at the centre of how you're approaching everything.

 

ReachOut have some great resources on our website to help parents and their teens navigate separation, it includes videos of parents sharing what worked for them, and some really practical tips on how to have those difficult conversations, so I've linked to those here in case they're helpful. 

 

It sounds like having a chat with your daughter about how she's feeling could be a good idea - I know as a parent myself, I often find those tricky conversations are easier when we're also doing something else, like going for a drive, or having a walk . Open ended questions are a great way to start! 

 

It sounds like you've had a lot on your  plate, it's great that you've been able to successfully wean off your antidepressants - are you having any support from a psychologist or counsellor at the moment?