A Teenage Daughter is Trying

by Momma
(Texas, US)

I have the best daughter ever.
However, Ii seem to accuse and get angrier with her than anyone.

She has had problems eating disorders, drugs, alcohol use and who knows what else.
I pray a lot.

Right how she has been arrested for DWI (driving while intoxicated) and has her car impounded. She has wrecked it numerous times.

I always seem to think punitive is best, but I need to be more supportive.
I hope and pray that she does not hurt anyone or herself.

I do not know how she has such low self esteem.
She did not participate in sports as a young child.
She is painfully shy.
I guess that I should have been more supportive and pushed her into sports and dance at a young age.
She was so shy that she would cry when I signed her up for soccer or at her first dance recital at age 4.

I just feel like I worked too hard and travelled too much and that she had way too much time to be alone as a child.

I beat myself up for the things that could have been, but I need to focus on the future.

Do you have any ideas that might help us grow closer?