Teenage years are very crucial for both parents and teens. There are times that teenagers end up arguing with their parents over small things. Why? They do not know how to properly express their feelings to their parents. During this time, the people they first go to whenever there are problems are their peers. If you are a parent who experiences this, do not worry because it is not yet late.
At this point, you have to realize the importance of communication between you and your child. A simple, “How are you?” could create a big change in your relationship. Your teen may face situations that are different to what you have been through. You have to listen and make your child feel that you will not judge him. In this way, he is encouraged to open up and express more.
It may seem easy but when you are already in that moment, expect that there might be challenges. What if my child does not open up? How will I make him feel I support him? What if my perspective is against what he did? These are some of the questions that are difficult to answer. That is why I have come up with some of the tips you might consider doing to promote effective communication skills to your child.
Promoting Communication Skills for Teens
Remember that your children will not adjust for you. This is the point where they will just think of themselves and their friends. It may seem hard to accept at first especially when they were sweet as babies. However, bear in mind that this is normal and you have a big role in helping your teen.
- Discover their interests
Teens are now exposed to devices and gadgets that target their interests. You need to discover these things so you can understand the reason why your teen likes them. If your child likes to play computer games, try to learn these games so you can talk with him about it. Your child will feel more connected with you despite of your age gap or differences in interests.
- Speak their language
Teens have their own way of expressing their feelings or emotions. Some may use non-verbal communication or written. Speaking their language means having a common way of expressing things. If your child is comfortable with not speaking at all, try to check his non-verbal cues. Understand the ideas and beliefs of your child and do not judge him.
- Listen to what they want
Make your child feel that you are willing to listen to his wants no matter how big or petty they are. In this way, they will be comfortable to share with you even the littlest things in their minds. This is also the time when you can explain why they cannot have everything they want without making them feel deprived.
- Be a parent, not a disciplinarian
There are times that your child will commit a certain mistake. Young adults are not that comfortable to share their mistakes because of fear of criticism. To avoid this, talk to them as if they know how to correct their mistakes. Let them discover what went wrong and how to solve it.
Effective Communication Skills for Teens
Here are some of the communication skills teenagers need to know for them to grow and succeed:
- Confidence
Teens show that they believe in what they are saying if they are confident. This skill helps them improve in their classes and other activities. Parents should encourage their children no matter how hard a situation is. Some teens do not believe in their capabilities so parents should remind them all the time.
- Open-mindedness
People have different views in life. Teenagers will realize this as they relate with the people around them. As a result, they learn to open their minds to different ideas and opinions. Being an open-minded person helps teens respect other people even when their ideas are different from theirs.
- Clarity & Conciseness
There are several things going on inside the minds of teenagers because they are very curious and imaginative. However, they need to be clear and direct with their thoughts so they can communicate well. Parents should teach them that there are things that are better left unsaid.
- Respect
Teenagers will definitely not agree with everything that other people say because they have their own beliefs. Even so, they will have an agreement once there is respect. Respect means making an effort to understand other people. It is also about knowing the differences and meeting halfway to come up with a single idea.
- Empathy
Empathy is about knowing the feelings of other people and understanding them. Listening is very important to show empathy. Furthermore, it teaches your child to view things in a bigger perspective.
Effective communication skills are challenging to develop. Even so, there are sets of training available online and in some centers that parents could consider using.
Effective Communication Skills Trainings
You can enroll your child to trainings and workshops aside from teaching him at home. You can find many centers online which provide services for this. One of the providers of effective communication skills trainings is Risepreneur.
Risepreneur provides services that can help your teenager improve and grow. Aside from integrity and other soft skills, Risepreneur assists in improving the communication skills for teens. If you are a hands-on parent, do not worry because Risepreneur gives you opportunities to monitor the progress of your child. It provides homework assignments which you can finish together at home. Teaching teens communication skills will be extra fun and interactive.
Takeaway
Communication skills are important to help teenagers get through the challenges they face. Parents show their support by allowing their children to think and say what they want to say. Communication becomes hard when both parents and children are not comfortable with each other.
Communication becomes effective when teenagers and other people understand each other in similar ways. There are barriers in communication but the most important thing is to accept the differences and do something about them. Teaching teens communication skills is not just the role of parents but also of training providers.
The aim of effective communication skills training is to avoid misunderstanding and conflict. Through this, other skills can be used effectively. Moreover, teenagers will be successful in academics, relationships and even in business. Teaching teens communication skills is a continuous process so parents and training providers should work together. Always remember that teens go through a lot so it is important to consistently communicate with them.
