There is a certain stage in a child’s life when the once bubbly, perky and chatterbox child starts to withdraw and talk less.

What has happened to your child you once looked lovingly at you and “worshiped the ground” you walk on? The child became a teenager. Or a tween for those who radically changed overnight.

Yes, they still talk at length especially when they need that new pair of shoes, or they want to try an acne treatment gel a friend is using or maybe just to ask for more spending money.

• You try to reach out, they just look at you.

• You try to talk to them their words seem vague.

• You ask them questions, you get grunts and/or monosyllables. Sometimes you just get a strange look.

So, how can parents communicate with their teenagers?

• Try to “listen” not just with the few words that are being said but especially the words left unsaid.
• Maintain eye contact with them when you talk.
• Be positive and try not to dig up “dirt” and past mistakes. The child is still learning, help her/him recognize life’s lessons and not dwell on the negative effects.
• Get your message straight to the point.
• You were once a teenager so you might say you are a Been-There-Done-That (BTDT) which means you know something about what your child is going through.
• Learn to meet halfway, to compromise.

Remember, teenagers will push you to your limit so it is best to prepare yourself and know how to handle whatever situation will arise.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 8:26 am and is filed under Interesting tidbits, Lessons in Life, My Thoughts, Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.