Every parent of a teen has experienced it: that rare moment when your teen opens up and shares information with you about his or her life. It’s a joy.
But every parent also knows that much of the time, talking to a teen can be a bit of a struggle. In fact, parents often think that teens don’t listen and what a parent says doesn’t matter.
Parents do matter. What you say does make a difference. Research shows that nearly four in 10 teens (39 percent) say they wish their parents would talk to them more about topics like relationships, sex, and contraception.[1]
The first step in having good conversations with your teen is to think, in a quiet moment, how you feel about whatever it is you want to talk about with your teen. It is important to be honest with yourself so that you can be honest with your teen. Then, take advantage of the teachable moments in your lives and take some conversation tips from parents who’ve been in your shoes.
[1] Albert, B. (2010). With one voice 2010: America’s adults and teens sound off about teen pregnancy. Washington, D.C.: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
