Karen smiled. "That's perfect, Mom! You're using a firm but calm tone, and you're setting clear boundaries. Now, let's practice it with a role-play."
Suddenly, the teenager is the authority. He is the aggressor (even when playing defense). She is the student. This role reversal triggers primal instincts. For the teen, it requires a level of restraint he does not yet possess. For the stepmom, it requires a level of physical aggression she has actively suppressed for two decades. when+teaching+stepmom+self+defense+goes+wrong