She was supposed to wait for her father to pick her up from school. Instead, she decided to take a bus. When her father confronted her, it led to a heated exchange. Words darted from father to child, and a bitter relationship took a turn for the worse.

"She fight me," said James Chambers, his voice trailing off. He hesitated. "It's more than one or two times," he added, while explaining that his daughter was never wrong in her mother's eyes. This, he says, made the situation increasingly difficult.

"If her mother even blame her, it's behind my back and that gave her power," he said, anger apparent in his voice. "I don't really care for her. ... I can't do it anymore."

Attempts to get assistance from a counsellor failed, as he never went back. This was partly because the counsellor was trying to blame him for the developments, he said.

Chambers has found a way to resolve the issue. He has tried to forget the fights and arguments so that he can move on with his life. "It's hard to explain how I manage but it's like I forget it," he said. Though his daughter still lives with him, they do not speak.

Chambers has one bit of advice for parents struggling with unruly children: "If the child is out of control, leave the child alone. Some day they (children) will find out their mistake but one thing, when you (the children) find it out, don't come back to me," he said unapologetically.