AVOIDING POTHOLES SOMETIMES TEENS REACT BADLY WHEN PARENTS TRY TO DISCUSS SENSITIVE TOPICS.
Anger about not being trusted Some teens interpret a request to talk as a sign that you do not trust them. Reassure your child that you are not suspicious and are doing this to help them, not attack them. Teen: “Why don’t you trust me?” Parent: “I trust you. But this is a very important issue, and I think we need to make sure we’re on the same page. To do that, we need to talk to each other.”
They think they already know it all Some teens don’t want to talk because they believe they already know everything there is to know about a topic. Don’t let this objection stop you from trying to communicate. Teen: “I’ve heard it all before. We don’t need to talk.” Parent: “You probably already know quite a bit. It would make me feel better if we talked it through. Besides, it would help me to better understand how things are different from when I was your age.”
Fear of punishment Teens may fear you’ll treat them harshly right from the start. Teens who fear punishment communicate less often with their parents. Teen: “Sure, talk with you and you won’t let me go out. Forget it.” Parent: “I promise that I won’t be that way. I will listen to you. I’ll take what you say seriously. I’ll be straight with you, and you be straight with me.”
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