Adolescence is a period of independence and a time for young folks to discover themselves. At this point, your teen is likely to rebel against your attempts to exert any sort of parental authority over their life. 

Regardless of how they behave, it is important that you are there to provide the necessary guidance, support, and encouragement to keep them from going astray. This wasn't the case for one Redditor who was left raging due to the snarky joke her teenage niece, Lucy, was making to her daughter, Cloe.

As stated by Psychology Today, parents impact their children's behavior through instruction, by example, persuasion, motivation, and self-disclosure, among other ways. 

Handling teenagers can be challenging, but you must exercise caution while speaking to them because they are still developing. Even if you don't believe they're paying attention, they are, and what you say can have far more of an impact on their mental health than you might expect.

For Lucy, who has spent her life without a father figure (due to her dad's incarceration), it was definitely not pleasant to hear her Aunt scold her by touching on the very part of her life that hurts the most.

There is more power in the words you speak than you are aware of, and they can have lasting effects. However, the Redditor feels it was necessary to take a strong stance against her daughter's bully.

Due to the backlash from other family members, she decided to make a post to seek opinions from the community about how she handled the situation.

The Redditor's brother was sentenced to life, leaving behind his pregnant girlfriend, Anna. All grown up, their daughter, Lucy, has started to reconnect with her father and extended family

The Redditor explained that in the spirit of Christmas, she invited her brother's girlfriend and daughter to spend the holiday with her family. Unfortunately, she would end up regretting this gesture

The Redditor got enraged after Lucy made snarky jokes about the clothes her daughter got for Christmas

In a moment of rage, the Redditor asked Anna to leave with Lucy, stating that Lucy takes after her dad

The statement wasn't well received by her husband and parents

The post, which has gone viral, is drawing opinions from hundreds of people in the Reddit community. We gathered the very best comments for your viewing pleasure.

"NTA, they asked for it, you gave it to them"

Anna is under fire

Another angle

"SIL was the one who raised Lucy and allowed - supported - this bullying, obnoxious behavior"

"No one did the right thing"

"A lapse in judgement from a 19 year old is more understandable than a grown adult like OP"

"I kind of see why Anna and OP brother were a couple. It looks like they are similar in cruel character""

Do you agree with this?

"NTA, OP. And good job standing up for your daughter"

"I don't think she was rude at all"

"She could have achieved the same goal without bringing her father into it"

This user would have preferred the OP to handle the situation differently

"You knew her father...and you are in a perfect condition to compare both personalities"

"It sucks her dad is in jail but she seems undisciplined and spoiled"

"Her mother should have stepped in not supported her daughters actions"

As of right now, it is still not clear if the approach the Redditor tried will have a positive or negative impact on her niece. What matters is the fact that she expressed love and concern for her daughter, who appeared to be hurt by Lucy's mean jokes.

Undoubtedly, the scenario will push both families apart for some time. While you can't always fix everything right away, some steps can be taken to create a better and more peaceful atmosphere.

Do you think the Redditor handled the situation well, or could she have taken a different approach? Share your thoughts in the comments below.