MAKE THE BEST OF IT 

A difficult parent can provide a useful template of how you don’t want to be.  Or who you don't want to be with.
It  also helps you recognise and be wary of other difficult people in various walks of life. 

HAVE HOPE

A painful life at home with a difficult mother or father won’t last for ever. 
Even negative thoughts can be turned round and used to make you strong and positive.  

FIND OUT HOW OTHERS LIVE

Look at your friends' families and your own extended family.  
Watch how people on buses, trains and in shops behave.
See how other children interact with their parents and how the parents respond. 

DEVELOP INNER STRENGTH

A difficult parent can instill a powerful need to prove yourself.  
Doing well will boost your confidence and make you feel good.   
Learn to trust your instinct.  Coping

COMMUNICATING

Studying how your difficult parent communicates will help you develop skills in dealing with people and get your point across in a more positive way. 
Learn the importance of good timing and being tactful, logical and clear.

CONFIDENCE AND SELF BELIEF

Growing in confidence will: 

• make you less scared of what you lived through as a child. 

• help you make your own decisions and opinions. 

• give you the strength to walk away from something or someone you feel uneasy about.

TOLERANCE 

This is not an easy skill to learn but  will help you cope with difficult situations and cut down on arguments.    

LOOK TO THE FUTURE 

• develop self respect. 

• focus on how others regard you rather than how your parent sees you. Years Later