Keeping lines of communication open during adolescence is a
key to getting the most out of this challenging time of life.
Some high
school students listed ways they’d like their parents to communicate. Here’s
their advice:
• Don’t
pressure us to achieve all the time.
• Praise
us when we do well.
• Tell
us you love us even if we act like we don’t want to hear it.
• Be
honest with us.
• Don’t
yell at us. Nothing makes us want to fight back more.
• Let us
form our own opinions about some things.
• If we have
a major problem, help us solve it. Don’t solve it for us; if you do, we’ll
never learn how to function as adults.
• Give
us a chance to disagree with you without telling us we’re “talking back.”
• Never
stop talking to us. You’re the only ones we can count on for reassurance
and love.
This is all
good advice for anyone who deals with teens.
