The Break-Up: Helping Your Teen Through Heartache

UPDATED April 30, 2018 Welcome to the next phase of Parenting a Teen in First Love: The Break Up. Earlier this year, I was nervous delighted when my 18-year-old daughter told me she had found true love. I’d never seen her so happy, so bright. Their relationship went from cute flirting to crazy-in-love within days. His style-cat charm, playful affection and layered friendship gave her a new sense of confidence and self-worth. But secretly, it worried me. I knew the relationship would eventually end. It’s the law of nature, you know? They were a perfect fit at the moment, but they were too outgoing and young to settle down so soon. I didn’t know if it would last two years or a few months. It turned out to be the latter. MESSY CLEANUP Parenting a heartbroken teen, well…sucks. For everyone involved. There is no easy clean up. I liken the aftermath to a huge, tangled up ball of yarn. The more you search for that loose strand in which to straighten everything out, the messier it becomes. I’m here to vouch that you will find the end of the strand. Together you’ll carefully guide it through each knot, twist and loop, no matter how tightly wound it seems. Here are my 12 tips on helping a teen get through a break-up with a first love.