Your teen is constantly changing and that can make it difficult to keep up with them and to stay connected. There are three mistakes that you might be making that can alienate you from your teen. The good news is that you can easily train yourself to stop making these mistakes. An added bonus is you’ll find you don’t have to work so hard at parenting!
CRITICIZING CONSTANTLY Yes, it’s your job as a parent to point out inappropriate behaviors and mistakes. It can be easy to fall into the patterns of CONSTANT criticism though. Think how it would feel if your boss or friend or spouse was constantly pointing out what you did wrong. You would begin to feel defeated and depleted. Take notice of your interactions with your teen. Do you have a good balance between acknowledging their contributions as often as their mistakes?
TALKING TOO MUCH Lecture, lecture, lecture. With a heavy sigh and eye rolls, teens often tell me about how often their parents lecture them. We even do an exercise where they name the top 3 lectures they receive from their parents. The truth is that if you constantly lecture, your teens begin to tune you out. The next time you feel the urge to lecture…stop, take a deep breath, and ask a question instead.
