Just Listen
Listen to everything your teen tells you. I mean everything. Mind you, you aren’t listening to catch them in a lie; you’re listening to let them know you are interested in them. Okay, and sometimes to catch them when they’re not making sense, or possibly a lie.
When you listen, you should make mental note of people, their names, distinguishing traits, if some seem more special than others, and if some names come up a lot. Asking questions shows you are interested, but be careful not to make it a question that was answered earlier in the story.
They know you have a lot to do, so if you can show them you care by remembering the names of people they mentioned or the quirky story describing how they got their nickname, you are bound to win major parent points.
If you are a multi-tasker, by all means do what you need to do, but when they ask a question, you need to be able to give them an answer so they believe you are listening.
Feeling heard is a great way to show your teen that they are not alone. They have someone with whom they can face the challenges of the world and hopefully feel comfortable telling you about either serious or heavy concerns. All you have to do is listen.
Related posts:
Loading ...