Writing a letter to your parent

Sometimes it can be hard to tell parents how you feel.

When you are going through adolescence and young adulthood, it’s your job to want to try to do things on your own and have some privacy too. So it probably feels like the right thing to do to keep some of your private feelings away from your parents. It also might seem like they won’t understand what you are going through. On the other hand, it’s your parents’ job to worry about you and make sure you are safe. They want to give you space to grow on your own, but they also want to make sure you are okay.

One way to let them know what you want them to know and for them to feel like they are keeping you safe is to write them a letter. You could start out by filling in these blanks:

Dear Parent,

I want to tell you a little bit about how I’m doing.

I think I am really good at ______

Some things I wish I could change about myself are _____

Usually I feel ______

Some things that can make me upset are _____

Ways you could help me would be _____

I want to know more about _____

Thanks for everything you do.

Try it out and let us know how it went!  Do you think a letter would make it easier for you to talk to your parents?