Does your teen feel important? One of the best ways we can help in this area is to ask our teen’s opinion.
Depending on your personality and parenting style, this could be difficult. For others it may come too easily. As with anything, there needs to be a healthy balance.
Here is one of the benefits you will receive when you ask your teen’s opinion. They will be allowed the freedom of expression; the opportunity to communicate with us. That is a good thing.
It can sometimes be difficult to get details from our teens, such as when we ask how their day was. But ask their opinion about an important matter and you may get more than you bargained for. Suddenly there is a whole lot to say!
Keep in mind that you may need to remind your teen that if you are asking an opinion about a matter in which your family needs to make a decision, it means what they say will be taken into consideration. Teens may fall into the trap of thinking they are the decision maker (although, depending on the circumstances this could be case).
Let your teen know that you value what they have to say. You are interested in their thoughts. This makes them feel important and secure.
You also never know when your teen might come up with a thought or idea that you had never considered. It could turn a situation completely around. Or you may have been stuck in not knowing what to do but a wise word (yes, they do have them) could be the key to breaking through.
I was recently having a conversation with my 15-year-old daughter about the death penalty. I asked her opinion about it and she gave it, which was completely opposite of mine.
As we continued to discuss our views, she said something very insightful. In fact, I was left without a comeback, which got her laughing.
Opinions matter. Our teens need to know this. It helps them feel important.