What to Do When Your Daughter Blames You For Everything

Children go through different developmental stages, which impact their awareness, emotions, and behavior. So when your daughter is going through a phase where she blames you for everything, it’s important to understand that this is developmentally appropriate behavior, not personal. There are a few things you can do to help your daughter during this phase:

1. Acknowledge her feelings.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

It’s important to let your daughter know that you understand how she’s feeling. This will help her feel validated and understood. By doing this, she can feel safer sharing how she feels, and you may be better able to guide her.

2. Help her to understand her feelings.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

Once your daughter knows you understand how she’s feeling, help her explore those feelings further. This can be done by asking questions such as “why do you think you’re feeling this way?” or “what do you think might happen if you continue to feel this way?” This can help your daughter to understand better why she’s feeling the way she is, and it may give her some insight into how to deal with those feelings.

3. Offer reassurance and support.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

Your daughter needs to know that she can count on you for support during this difficult time. Let her know that you’re there for her and that you will help her through it. Reassuring your child that everything will be okay can go a long way in helping her feel better.

4. Seek professional help if necessary.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

If your daughter’s behavior is causing significant distress or impacting her daily life, it may be required to seek professional help. A therapist can provide additional support and guidance during this difficult time. Family therapy may provide an objective, third-party perspective

If your daughter’s behavior is causing significant distress or impacting her daily life, it may be necessary to seek professional help. A therapist can provide additional support and guidance during this difficult time. In addition, family therapy may provide an objective, third-party perspective that can help resolve these issues.

Help her express her feelings in constructive ways. If your daughter struggles to express her feelings positively, help her by suggesting alternatives. For example, she could journal about her feelings, talk to a trusted friend or family member, or participate in a creative activity



Reasons Why Your Daughter May Blame You For Everything

Enmeshment

Poor boundaries due to enmeshment mean family members may have blurred emotional boundaries. Enmeshed boundaries look like this: one person’s feelings are seen as more important than another’s, or someone else in the family takes on responsibility for another’s emotions.

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For example, a mom with an enmeshed relationship with her daughter might see her daughter’s sadness and feel guilty because she couldn’t make her happy. So the mom might try to fix the daughter’s problem instead of allowing her to experience her emotions. In this way, the mom takes on responsibility for her daughter’s feelings instead of letting her daughter feel and deal with them herself.

One consequence of having enmeshed boundaries is that children may learn to blame others for their own emotions. They were never taught the importance of boundaries andponsibility for their feelings. So, it’s easy to blame someone else when something goes wrong instead of looking at what they could do differently.

A Lack of Emotional passthrough

Children need to see their parents model this behavior to learn how to deal with their emotions healthily. This is why it’s so crucial for parents to have an “emotional passthrough.” An emotional passthrough is when parent models appropriate emotion regulation skills by healthily expressing their own emotions.

For example, let’s say a mom gets cut off in traffic, and she starts honking her horn. The daughter will consciously and even subconsciously absorb this behavior and may show similar patterns in the future.

So, if your daughter tends to blame you for her emotions, are there ways you have modeled this behavior for her?

How to Model Emotional Responsibility

One fundamental way to model emotional responsibility is to use “I” statements. For example,

If your daughter is blaming you for her feelings, you can model emotional responsibility yourself. This means healthily expressing your own emotions and using “I” statements.

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For example, let’s say your daughter is upset because she got a bad grade on a test. Instead of reacting with anger, you could express your sadness and disappointment. You could also use an “I” statement to describe your feelings. For example, you might say, “I’m sorry you’re feeling so upset. I know how much you wanted to do well on that test.”

You’re teaching your daughter how to do the same by healthily expressing her emotions. You’re also showing her that it’s okay to have negative feelings and that you’re there for her no matter what.

1. Respond with empathy.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

When your daughter starts to blame you for everything, the best thing you can do is respond with compassion. This means that you listen to her and try to understand her feelings.

For example, if your daughter says, “you always make me angry,” you could say, “I can see that you’re outraged right now. I’m sorry that I made you upset.” By responding with empathy, you’re showing your daughter that you care about her feelings and are willing to listen.

2. Talk to her about enmeshment.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

If your daughter blames you for her emotions, it’s possible that she doesn’t understand what’s happening. This is why it’s essential to talk to her about enmeshment and emotional boundaries.

Explain to her that enmeshed boundaries occur when family members have blurred emotional boundaries. Show her how this might look in a hypothetical situation, like if the mom gets angry when the daughter doesn’t live up to her expectations. Then, help her see how this might affects her own life and how she deals with her emotions.

3. Help her develop healthy emotional boundaries.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

One way to help your daughter develop healthy emotional boundaries is by teaching her about “I” statements. Show her how she can use “I” words to express her feelings healthily.

4. Encourage her to express her emotions in a healthy way.

what to do when your daughter blames you for everything

It’s important to encourage your daughter to express her emotions in a healthy way. This means that she should feel free to talk about her feelings without fear of being judged or ridiculed.

Encourage her to express her emotions through writing, art, or any other outlet that she enjoys. This will help her learn how her emotions are a part of her, and she actually can have a say in shaping the direction they take. There are many benefits to art therapy and the confidence and creativity that results are two ways your child can have more ownership over the way that she feels or things that happen in her life.

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By consciously parenting, you can help your children overcome difficulties and to have healthier emotional boundaries. Modeling positive behavior and guiding your child into autonomy are two ways to help your daughter take more responsibility and feel more empowered.


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Suzy Prichard

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