How do you think your teen would grade your parenting skills?
Did you know that when 1,000 teens aged 12 to 19 were asked give their parents a grade from A to F, 35% gave their parents grades of D or F?
I know what you’re thinking. “Am I a D parent?” Or, worse yet, “Am I a failing parent?”
It’s during teens’ adolescent stage (when their brains are rapidly developing) that they’re most critical of you. It’s perfectly normal if your teenager doesn’t listen to you. Many parents go through this.
The good news is that there are things you can do to help your teen listen to you.
It’s not impossible after all.
Michele Borba, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, gives seven tips to help make your child listen to you.
Here’s a great one from her list: Ask specific questions.
When I was a teenager, I found questions like “How was your day?” too broad and not very inviting. There was so much that I could have said, and specifics would have helped me guide my answer to your liking.
It’s the same for younger kids too. The more specific the questions you ask, the better the response you’ll get.
Try it out.
Instead of asking, “How was your day?” Take Borba’s suggestion and ask, “Who did you sit next to during lunch?” Or “What story did your teacher read today?”
More Parenting Advice: What advice would you give to parents who struggle to be good listeners to their kids? Share your tips in the comments section below…
7 Secrets To Help Your Kids Listen Better [Michele Borba]
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