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2 Friday, April 28, 2023brooklintowncrier.com Brooklin's Community Newspaper Proud to be a Brooklinite Since 2000. Published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com • Circulation 8000 • Delivery via Canada Post Locally owned and operated. A publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, contact: Email: mulcahy42@rogers.com Next Issue: Friday, May 12, 2023 Deadline: Friday, May 5, 2023 Brooklin TOWN CRIER.com Monday - Thursday 9:00am-7:00pm Friday 9:00am-5:30pm Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm Sunday Closed Fun Truck Time 2023 Colorado 1201 Dundas St. East, Whitby SALES 905-668-5846 SERVICE 905-668-8871 PARTS 905-668-8853 Top Dollar for your Trade 4WD Crew Cab Short Box ZR2 ORDER YOUR PRE-OWNED CAR WITH US! SALES (905) 721-6599 SERVICE (905) 721-6588 PARTS (905) 721-6577 445 Winchester Road East, Brooklin Hyundai - Official Partner of the NHL Swing by to take a practice shot on our Net in the showroom! Check out our Pre-Owned Inventory on our website! Made for Those Who Drive Hockey!Made for Those Who Drive Hockey! My daughter comes through the front door after school and drops her backpack in the doorway. My husband, who just picked her up, trips over the bag as he enters the house. He swears as he bangs his shin. She's in the kitchen rummaging in the cupboards for food while the dog stands between her feet hoping for a hand out. Enter her father rubbing his sore shin and complaining about the bag. She becomes defensive and an argument ensues. I wonder whether to mediate or leave them to figure it out. I opt for the latter, put the dog on its leash and take him for a walk. When I return, all is calm. They've worked it out. Over dinner my daughter vents about a tough day at school. Her project group is not getting things done and she's left to pick up the slack. The stress is evident. As she experiences new emotions and stresses that come with being a teen, I find my husband and I are often caught in the crossfire. Arguments happen over the littlest things. Clashes like this typically arise when teens feel like parents don't respect them and they aren't given the space to do what they want to do. We parents get angry because we're not ready to give up the control. We still want to parent them like they are little kids. And her phone is the number one reason for conflicts. The battles often end in hurt feelings that need mending a little bit later when everyone has calmed down. However, these conflicts usually bring about new understanding. For example, my husband is concerned she spends too much time on her phone. I try to explain that she doesn't have it at school, doesn't use it at her sports, and her downtime is when she catches up with friends with it. The phone also has to be in our room at night. He understands that this is how kids today socialize but worries about online predators. He's protective of his "not so little" girl. Later that night, my daughter apologizes about the bag. Five minutes beforehand, she'd tripped over it herself. Over a bag of chips, she and her dad compare their bruises. A new understanding is achieved. Nothing bonds people like comparing battle wounds over snack food. Meanwhile, the dog vacuums up their crumbs. He finally gets his handout. Brooklin Family Matters: by Leanne Brown Conflicts With Parents