Nuggets from Working with Teens

I’ve worked with teens for years, but becoming a parent of two teens has been humbling, to say the least.  Luckily through years of listening to other teens, I realized early how my role as a parent would change:  

• I needed to adjust and shift my role as a parent to be more of a coach. 

• I need to listen more and talk less.  

• My window of opportunity to talk to them is smaller and has shifted from when I have time, to when they have time. 

• Less is more when trying to teach them about something - plant a seed, don’t expect to watch it grow, that happens over time. 

• Their lives get busier and the nucleus of their world shifts.  

• Teens have(strong) opinions and want to feel heard.  

• They want to pick places to eat.  

• They want more opportunities to be able to weigh in on family decisions.  

• Teens are becoming adults, and while they may not think like adults, they want to be respected in their shifting roles. 

• Teens no longer see parents as gods, we have to earn their trust and time.