Engage Your Teen
Being a teen is hard, but being a teen's parent is even harder. Learning to communicate with your teen can be a challenge.
Here are a few ways to engage with your teen.
Ask Open-Ended Questions - these are questions that require more than a yes/no answer.
Ask What They Need - this may be tough for them to answer, but it will promote thought within themselves about what they are needing at the moment.
Avoid Criticizing Them - if you grew up with a baby boomer as your parent, this may have been their first response when trying to get your attention. However, as we've seen in our own lives, there is inner child trauma that comes from this "reverse psychology".
Try Journaling Back and Forth Together - this is a great tool for a teen who doesn't want to talk. Sometimes expressing themselves through writing or doodles can create more confidence in communication.
If your teen is struggling and maybe they've expressed the need to talk, consider having them meet with a therapist. Here at Life By Design Therapy, we have a team that is passionate about seeing young lives flourish. We also recognize that meeting in person is crucial for our young people and we are now offering just that. Head to the link in our bio to schedule a free phone consultation.
P.S. We know being a parent can be difficult. If you're interested in 50 grounding activities, download our free ebook, The Mind-Body Toolkit: A Beginner's Guide To Connecting With The Body. Link in Bio!
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