Listening to Teens

Adolescents are beginning to discover their identities and sometimes have trouble communicating their needs to adults. What many teenagers truly crave is our genuine, undivided attention. Make sure to set aside some time in your daily routine to sit down with a teen in your life and simply give them attention and listen to what they have to say. The acknowledgement and respect of an adult can be very validating and rewarding for them, even if they have a hard time communicating it.

When talking to teens in general, don’t forget to give them adequate time to share their ideas. They are often used to being treated like children even though they feel more like adults.  You will develop a stronger bond with them if you acknowledge that they are capable of thinking for themselves and forming their own opinions.  

Remember what it was like for you when you were a teenager and imagine how it might have felt to have the attention of an adult who respected you as an individual. Consider your own experiences while reflecting on this TED talk by Roy Petitfils.  In it, Petitfils discusses his own adolescence and how the attention and acknowledgement of adults changed his life.