4 Things only YOU can give your teen...

4 Things only YOU can give your teen…

When your teen needs something from you, what sort of things do they usually ask for? 
Money?  Food?  A ride?  

Sure, maybe your teen needs those things, but they could easily get them somewhere else.  They might borrow cash from a friend, order food at a restaurant, or get a ride from friends, but there are four things your teen needs that they cannot get anywhere else:  

YOUR time, wisdom, experience, and a parental relationship.

 

 In our curricula we teach that every healthy relationship requires good communication, honesty, trust and respect. Can you remember the last time you had a meaningful conversation with your teen?  I get it; teens aren’t exactly the easiest people to talk to. 

So if you could use some help, here are some basic do's and don'ts for connecting one-on-one with your teen, and giving them what they need:

1. Do ask thoughtful open ended questions. You know the kind that can’t be answered with a simple “yes” “no” or “whatever.”
   
   
   
2. Do spend more time listening than talking. Your teen needs to know that you value who they are, they need to understand their value and purpose and they need to know that they have the potential to make their dreams a reality. 
   
   
3. Do give them your full, undivided attention. Dad’s schedule regular dates with your daughters and Mom’s go out with your sons and laugh together.  Show them how to have fun, give them some time, impart some wisdom, give them an experience to draw from, and show them what a healthy relationship looks like.  
   
4. Don’t turn your conversation into a lecture. Remember, letting your teen come to the right conclusion on their own is far more effective than launching into a lecture. We can’t always be there to protect our teens, but we can prepare them to make wise decisions when the pressure comes.

This is what YOU can give them that no one else can!  Only you can give them the time, wisdom, experience, and relationship they long for.