Originally Posted by
Carlotta 
For me, detachment is relatively easy with casual friends, where I'm not very emotionally involved. I've noticed that when I am detached, I can listen to other people being critical or grumpy without being affected. But if members of my family act the same way, I often take on their negative frame of mind. My own behavior shows me that I have a choice about my response to other people's moods and attitudes.
What I have learned by comparing these two situations is that detachment involves paying attention to my own mood before I have a chance to take on someone else's.
I don't know about you other parents out there, but this is especially helpful to me as it relates to my teenagers' moods.
I've really been struggling lately with
feeling hurt when my kids are hurt by someone else's behavior. I can't tell if it's natural 'mother bear' instinct or if it's codie behavior. I do know that it's not good for anyone and I need to work on it.
Can anyone else relate to this? Anyone been through this and been able to move on to detachment from their children's sufferings?