How to communicate with adolescents

Filed in Blog - psychology by on August 18, 2016

teen_counselling

COMMUNICATING WITH ADOLESCENTS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

  • Affirm your child’s feelings
  • Don’t use the slang your child uses
  • Share your own experiences
  • Don’t just do, listen
  • Give your child ownership of what she does
  • Remember to accept silence
  • Don’t make fun of them
  • Have an ally

QUESTIONING

  • Use open ended questions – allows you the ability to gain information
  • Use the response given as a lead for further questions
  • Information seeking questions – used to find out general information
  • Circular questions – less threatening, easier to answer
  • Choice questions – enables your daughter to feel that her opinion is being considered

ACTIVE LISTENING

  • Listen to your child – avoid interpretation
  • Reflect the content and feeling – shows that you have heard your child
  • Summarise – shows that you have heard and understood what has been said
  • Memory – be able to recall what has been said
  • Be patient – allow time for your child to reflect on what has been discussed
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