5 Simple Tips to Help You Have a Real Conversation With a Teen
Print this Article | Send to Colleague
Parents often talk about how tough it is to talk to teenagers, how their kids won’t say anything or listen to them. Let’s take a typical scenario: You want to talk to your teenage son about his "irresponsible" behavior (maybe it’s playing too many games, not doing his homework or neglecting his chores). You approach him by asking, "Can we talk?" He rolls his eyes and lets out a heavy sigh that says, "Here we go again." Both parties feel angry, helpless and confused. Talking is supposed to work, right? Except that it often doesn’t.
Communicating with teenagers is a skill we could all stand to fine-tune. After being a parent and working with children as a psychologist for more than 25 years, Shelja Sen learned there are five essential strategies that can make a huge difference in building a stronger connection.
