It's okay if you don't like your kid
Sometimes I just don’t like my kid.
That’s the text I got from a client this week.
And if you’ve ever thought that—even for a second—I want you to know:
You’re not alone.
You’re not a bad parent.
You’re just human.
We love our kids fiercely.
We would do anything for them.
But when they’re mean, dismissive, lying, slamming doors, or rolling their eyes at every request?
It’s hard to like them.
Especially when the cycle keeps repeating:
They promise to change.
You start to hope.
And then 💥—it all explodes again.
“Everything is fine until… we get to go back to the beginning.
It’s so exhausting. And tiresome. And CONSTANTLY disappointing.”
That’s what a parent shared with me recently.
She ended her message with a ❤️ and a 😂—because sometimes that’s all you’ve got left.
Here’s the truth no one talks about:
You can love your kid deeply and not like how they’re being right now.
So how do you shift that?
It starts by separating who they are… from how they’re acting.
That means reminding yourself: My kid is not their behavior.
They’re still the same quirky, creative, caring human underneath the disrespect, the attitude, or the screw-up.
They’re just lost in a moment—and you don’t have to go down with them.
The challenge is, most of us were never taught how to hold onto that truth when we’re in the thick of it.
That’s what I help parents learn.
✅ Stay connected to who your kid really is—even when they’re acting awful
✅ Set boundaries without losing warmth or respect
✅ Rebuild trust after hard moments
✅ And genuinely enjoy being around your kid again
One mom told me:
“I thought I was a terrible mom for not liking my teenager.
Seeing past the attitude to the kid I know is still in there, even during his worst moments, changed everything.
I like him again.”
So if today was one of those days—
If you’re sitting in your car wondering,
“Why does it feel like I can’t stand my own kid right now?”
Please hear this:
You’re not failing.
You’re not the only one.
And it can get better.
🧡 Jeanine
