Listening or Lecturing?

“But dad! You never listen to me!” Sound familiar? If so, you probably have a teenager in your house. Teenagers often complain that parents don’t listen—and sometimes they’re right! As parents, it’s easy to think we’re engaging in conversation when we’re really just talking at our kids. When your teen wants to talk, turn off the TV and then give them your full attention. Stay focused on what they’re saying, and try not to interrupt. Instead of rendering a quick opinion, ask questions and try to discern all the facts. It takes more time and energy to talk through an issue before making a decision, but our kids deserve that from us. And you may find that many of their requests aren’t as unreasonable as you might have first thought.