5 Secrets for Communicating with Your Teenager
Camp Kupugani-our Midwest overnight summer camp that offers girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally co-ed) programming for children 7-15 years old–empowers our teenage campers to be leaders in our community. We do appreciate that adult-teenager communication can sometimes be challenging, especially for parents of said teens. A recent article from Empowering Parents had some good parent-teenager communication tips. Check out our take below, with the full article here.
Communication Tips
- Start With Understanding, Even When You Don’t Understand
- Put yourself in your child’s shoes.
- Don’t use: “I understand, but…”
- Don’t Get Emotional Or Take It Personally
- Remind yourself that their actions do not always reflect upon you.
- Don’t be mad at your child for being themselves.
- Ask Honest Questions…Not Loaded Questions
- Show your child you believe in them.
- Let your teen know their problems are theirs to solve.
- Don’t “Need” Your Child’s Good Behavior
- This is about your child not you.
- Model the behavior you are requesting of your child.
- Don’t Do Anything Until You’re Both Calm
- You don’t have to respond directly following the “incident.”
- Don’t allow yourself to be dragged into the “fight.”
- Make sure you draw lines of behavior for yourself and your child.