Encouraging Reflective Conversations with Teens

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Remember those years when your child followed you everywhere, and gazed at you with adoring eyes because you knew everything? Have they now turned into a teenager who simply grunts, or screams at you, when they occasionally emerge from their bedroom?

Changes in a teenage brain help them to develop abstract thinking and self-reflection but they also make them hyper-critical and keen to develop emotional distance so they can practice life without you around.

What to do: Daniel Siegel says we need to teach them to have reflective conversations:

• Numerous brain studies show that when we do this (either with someone else or in our own heads) it stimulates the integration of the prefrontal cortex where planning and problem solving takes place, and allows us to tune into others ie empathy. 

How to do it: JoAnn Deak - Girls will be girls.

• Don’t assume or jump in straight away.
• Don’t move straight to the fix-it mode.
• Help them to explore what they’re saying. 
• Leave some grey areas.
• Discuss strategies for action. Don't overreact. Once you’re in the strategy phase that’s when your knowledge can help inform the teenager’s decisions. 
• Don’t be afraid to provide your moral/philosophical bottom line. There are so many grey areas it can be a relief to know there are some black and white’s.

Techniques: Parent Gym based on how to talk so your kids will listen.

• Super silence and active listening.

When to do it?

• Try to develop regular non-crisis moments where conversations can happen. Saying goodnight, car journeys, meal-times, fixing their bike. 
• Listen to the news together to start a discussion. Get them to entertain you. What’s the gossip? What are you reading? What have you been watching? What’s your favourite music at the moment? Take a genuine interest in their answers. 

Books, and materials, we've referenced: 

• Brainstorm by Daniel Siegel
• How to talk so your Kids will listen; How to listen so your kids will talk by A

OtoZen — a new driving safety app
Are you worried about your teenager getting distracted behind the wheel? 

The OtoZen app helps in real time — not just after something’s gone wrong. It has voice alerts, drive scores, and even safe driving challenges you can set together, it’s the kind of tech that actually helps your teen build better habits. 

OtoZen — a new driving safety app
OtoZen helps build better habits in real time with voice alerts, drive scores, and safey challenges.

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by OtoZen: The brilliant new driving safety app

https://www.otozen.com

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