Rewind your memory to your teenage days. Didn’t you have your first crush and the nail-biting wait for a Yes from him or her? Didn’t you also rush from home not wanting to share a word or two with your mom before going to school? How irritated were you when your dad asked you to dress up neatly before leaving home?
No matter what the answers are, if the reality of teenagers is now staring at you, you need to confront it with patience, love and perseverance. Let’s read some tips to help you communicate with your teen.
- Listen
There may be a reason for their spurt of tantrums. If you care to listen, they will open up, and you can lighten up the situation tactfully.
2. Respect Privacy
The expression of freedom is usually not clear with teens, and they are confused most of the time. If you spy, emotional outbursts may occur. As parents, it would be better to leave them alone but at the same time help them to make a decision. Take their consent and treat them like an adult. Sounds fair enough?
3. Trust
At a young age, children consider you their heroes. They believed in your support for everything they did. With independence comes the value of trust. You can’t afford to break it. Your words and actions mean a lot to them for their personal interests. Be a patient partner until the phase is over.
4. Spend Time Together On Shared Interests
You may notice silence when you are around your teen. It’s not deliberate. Make sure you break the ice over shared interests like a TV show or an outdoor game that you both enjoy. This way you have a reason to talk with them and enjoy some time together.
5. Do Not Dictate
As parents, you may feel that you have all rights to flare up. However, your teens have less control over their emotions. You can set rules and explain to your teen mildly why ‘this is better than that’. Talking to them patiently and not dictating will make both parties comfortable.