Working with teenagers, we’ve come to understand that some adults in your life may not always acknowledge your stress-related issues. Nor do they provide meaningful support and guidance. Perhaps you’ve experienced an adult’s attempts at “good advice turning into misinterpretations of your own life- narrative. Ugh! So real. This is because they are “weary” of hearing teen complex stressors and prefer to ignore the crux of your challenges.
Think of a younger kid sticking his fingers in his ears and chanting “la la la la la la la”]. Adults might “hear” your stress story but then focus on something completely different than what you shared. These gaps in communication might make it difficult for you to share your most challenging stressors with a trusted adult.
Here are a couple of tools on how to improve your communication, and hopefully, get some adults to listen toyou when you most need them.
- Right Time and Place: Pick a quiet and private space where you can talk without interruptions.
- Be Clear About Your Feelings: Express your thoughts and feelings without blaming or accusing.
- Express Yourself Calmly: Keep your emotions in check.. breathe… pause…you got this!
- Non-Verbal Cues: Your body language conveys a lot about your feelings. Maintain eye contact and use open and positive gestures.
- Ask for Feedback: Keep the dialogue open and hear the other person’s perspective
- Be Patient: Not all issues can be resolved immediately. You may need to revisit the conversation later
- Be open to compromise and work together where both parties can find acceptable solutions for one another multiple ideas can co-exist together when give and take compromises are available.
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