| Teenage is a very important phase of your child's life. It | | | | everyday with your teenager, when you can discuss |
| is time in their life when they are in the state of | | | | the day or just the latest developments in the world of |
| confusion and they do not know what they want and | | | | sport, science, electronics or whatever interests your |
| what they need. During this time sometimes they just | | | | teenager can help to develop the rapport. The more |
| need a empathetic ear to listen to them and give them | | | | easily you can strike a conversation with your |
| support. As parents, you need to realise this and give | | | | teenager, the more open they will be with you and the |
| that time and attention to your child, so that they can | | | | more trust you can develop in the relationship. |
| speak up what is in their mind and just reduce some | | | | You need to have at least one face-to-face |
| of the emotional burden they might be feeling. Below | | | | discussion with your child when you are not |
| are some of the rules of communication you need to | | | | multi-tasking. Try and select a topic - "What did you do |
| use in order to take your relationship with your | | | | today?"; "How can we change the room set-up?"; |
| teenager to the next level and make them feel | | | | "How are his/her friends doing?" etc. Be genuine about |
| confident about their own selves: | | | | the topics and show an interest in what they are |
| Recognise opportunities to talk: Try and find time to | | | | saying. In these discussions, ask as many open ended |
| talk to your teenager. It need not be a formal setting or | | | | questions as you can but allow your child to do most |
| planned time. It can be a small chat you can have with | | | | of the talking and express their feelings, experiences |
| them while driving back from school or while washing | | | | and thoughts. |
| up plates at home. Get some form of informal, | | | | Put yourself aside: Do not bore your child with details |
| non-serious and effortless communication flowing with | | | | about your day or certain events in your life, if you see |
| them. | | | | that they are not interested. You will probably be |
| Choose time with care: One mistake that many people | | | | tempted to try and impose your views onto your teen |
| make in teenage parenting is to try and talk when it | | | | at some time, but give your child space and support to |
| suits them and not when it suits their teen. If your son | | | | formulate their own ideas about the world - they will |
| is in the middle of trying to beat a high score on his | | | | become a much stronger person for doing so. |
| latest game, or your daughter is just leaving the house, | | | | In the book "Solving Teenage Problems", several tips |
| they are not going to want to talk! So pick your time | | | | to improve communication have been discussed. The |
| with care, even if you have to be a little creative about | | | | book also provides two models on communication, |
| creating an opportunity. | | | | which can help parents to structure difficult |
| Provide for daily communication: While it is great to | | | | conversations and have a successful and effective |
| have informal and effortless communication, it does | | | | communication with your teenager. |
| not undermine the need for having a quiet hour | | | | |