How to connect with your teen: Advice from other families

Ask for Their Playlist

As a parenting coach, I get this question a lot. What I’ve found time and time again is that connecting with teenagers isn’t all that different from connecting with younger children or adults.

Remember when your kids were little and you were playing dress up or watching the same cartoon—AGAIN!? You did it though because it was a way to connect with your child. You would enter their world through their interests.

You can apply the same approach to teens. One of my favorite ways to connect with your teenager is by asking them to make a playlist for you of their favorite music right now. This can be a great way to understand them a little better and show your genuine interest in them.

It’s also important to allow your teens to have an equal voice in conversations. When you’re confronted with a hard conversation or needing to address certain behaviors, make sure you ask for your child’s perspective FIRST. This demonstrates a lot of good will and empathy on your end. Chances are your child will reciprocate when it’s your turn to share your perspective.

Read the full article in AZ Big Media here.