Talking to Your Parents

Talking to your parents can be tough so we found a great article to help you get started!

Some excellent pointers are:

1. If you do not have the most open relationship with your parents, you can improve your communication by talking to your parents everyday, even about trivial topics. 
   • Start with something easy for the both of you to talk about. A TV show you both enjoy? A funny YouTubevideo? Perhaps suggesting a family activity that you all can do together?
2. When bringing up a difficult topic, tell your parent(s) what you want from the conversation.  
   • “I just need you to listen, okay?” can be a great way to start. Remember your parents may want to help, or fix, a “problem” for you.
   • A gentle reminder that right now you just need them to hear your words is useful.
3. When communicating, identify your emotions, and put them into words while you talk.        For example, if you are worried, say: “I am worried that…”
   • If you have trouble identifying your emotions this list, also called a feelings inventory, is really useful! (it’s a free PDF you can print too!)     
4. Find a good time to talk, and if you are not sure of when a good time is, ask your parents when is a good time to talk. 
   • Sometimes no time feels like it’s the right time. Asking to make time for yourself and your parents is an easy way to make time for talking about issues or something important to you.
5. Be honest and understanding.  Your parents are also human! Be honest about the way you feel about things and understand they also have feelings.
   • Remember you are not responsible for someone else’s feelings and that taking care of your needs are important.

Do you have trouble talking to your parents or the adults in your life?  How do you approach topics with them?