How to have Open Communication with your Teens

Teenage years from 13 – 19 years are considered one of the challenging years in a parent – child relationship. Parents and teenagers are having a hard time to catch with their generation gap and sometimes come to the point having a hard time communicating with each other. It is a phase wherein teens start to develop their sense of identity and that is the reason why they need more guidance.

Studies have shown that lack parental guidance and support may lead to unwanted behavior among teenagers like drinking, drugs, and having unprotected sex. And with this parents should have an open communication with their teenagers even though it can be a real struggle.

Here are some tips how you can keep communication lines open with your teenagers:

• Asked questions and be “askable” yourself
• Create a good, casual and interesting communication with your teens. Asked them about what happen at school, things that they do during the day. And let them feel that they can also ask you question even the sensitive ones.
• Take your cue from your teenager - there's absolutely no point saying you want to talk, when he's rushing to get ready for a night out.
• Try to spend time alone with your teenager and go out somewhere if there aren't any opportunities at home.
• Treat your teenager with respect, much as you would another adult.
• Don't overreact or fly off the handle if you don't like what you hear
• Don't score points - like all of us, teenagers don't like being put down.
• Don't try to impose your ideas - he'll inevitably reject what you have to offer.
• Never put him down for his views or ideas; he needs your approval
• Share information about what's going on in your life, but only for as long as your teen seems interested.
• It's better to negotiate a solution than enforce your demands, so don't say, "I want your room cleaned up tonight," but "I'm getting really upset at the state of your room. When do you think you can tidy it up?"