Parenting Teens - September 4, 2012

Day 19 - Effective Communications Strategies Part I

We look at the role of listening and attention-giving in effective communications.

2. Learn to listen
• treat them like young adults (not children) • Listen carefully to their views and feelings

Effective communication requires that parents o learn to speak with their teenager rather than at their teenager (Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages of Teenagers) o engage in discussion and be prepared to debate the issues rather than repeating Simplistic slogans such as “You're too young to have a boyfriend” or “drugs are dangerous”

3. Give your full attention • recognize the important moments to listen and give your full attention • don't try to listen to your teenager while doing something else at the same time • maintain eye contact; observe your teenager’s body language

Question:
When have you had your best conversations with your teenager?

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From Series: "Parenting Teenagers"

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  • never too soon to start (see the account of John the Baptist in the womb in Luke 1:44, The Bible)
  • never too late to start (see the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15: 11-24, The Bible)
  • turn fears and longings into prayers
  • when to pray:
    • with them before they go to sleep
    • teaching them to pray (thank you, sorry, please)
    • on our own
    • with others
    • in traffic jams or when cleaning up or ironing
  • when prompted (often at moments of potential danger or temptation for our child)
  • everyday

what to pray for:

  • friendships
  • schools
  • their health
  • their safety
  • their marriage partner (most children will marry one day and their marriage partner may well already be alive somewhere)
  • their response to God’s love
  • their characters – use the fruit of the Spirit as a list to pray through: love. joy, peace, patience,  kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5: 22-23, The Bible)
  • pray with them, particularly at bedtime
  • pray for yourselves as parents

Take some time to pray for your child(ren), and plan to make it a regular routine.  Our Christianity 101 Course may help you explore the topic of prayer, God and Christianity in more depth.

 

 

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