Joanna Fortune: I'm dreading the bickering between my daughters this Christmas

"I’m looking forward to the Christmas holidays but dreading the bickering between my three daughters." Picture: Vector illustration.

I’m looking forward to the Christmas holidays but dreading the bickering between my three daughters. The eldest two are in their teens, and the youngest is going through the difficult tween stage. Almost every weekend, there’s an argument about stolen makeup, missing clothes, or whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher. I try to keep out their squabbles but step in if the youngest is being bullied. We’re at home all Christmas week, and I’m worried about the tension escalating between the girls.

Feelings run high at this time of year, but with a house full of teenagers, they tend to run high most of the time. At this stage of development, their frustration threshold is very low, leading to outbursts and flashpoints of anger and arguments.