When your middle schooler says, "I hate you," it hurts.

Whether they say it once in a moment of frustration or it has become a daily pattern, those words can leave you wondering:

Am I doing something wrong?
Should I ignore it?
How do I stop this without pushing my child further away?

In this episode, I'm answering one parent's heartfelt question about a middle schooler who tells her parents and younger sibling, "I hate you," every single day.

We'll talk about what's likely happening underneath those words and, more importantly, what you can actually do about it.

Inside this episode, you'll learn:

• Why "I hate you" is almost never about hate
• The first step parents can't afford to skip before responding
• How to have a calm, connection-centered conversation outside the moment
• What to say (and do) when it happens again
• Why boundaries and connection must work together
• How to protect younger siblings without shaming your middle schooler
• How to help your child replace hurtful words with healthier ways of expressing big feelings

This isn't about excusing hurtful behavior. It's about leading your child with steadiness while helping them build the relational skills they'll use for the rest of their lives.

Because your middle schooler isn't just learning how to manage emotions. They're learning how to stay connected to the people they love when those emotions get big.

If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to continue supporting you. My Steady + Connected Parenting Workshops dive deeper into the topics middle school parents ask about most often, with practical tools you can start using right away.

Go here to be the first to hear about upcoming workshops: https://kermorris.myflodesk.com/parentingworkshops

You can find me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/bridget.parentcoach/

The Ultimate Middle School Parent Survival Toolkit is here: https://bridgetparentco.samcart.com/products/ultimate-toolkit