“Tell me all the horrible things.”
Sometimes, the quickest way to get your teenager to talk to you after the first day of school is to start a conversation that catches them off guard, like,
“Tell me all the horrible things that happened today.”
Plus, don’t most of them love to complain? 😂
My clients in Sweden shared that their daughter repeatedly complained,
“I don’t want to go back to school.”
While it’s hard to resist dismissing her complaint, a more effective response is,
“What’s bugging you about school?”
By being curious, they found out she was worried that the boys might talk about sex.
Knowing her real concern, let them address the root cause of her comment.
When you want the back-to-school transition to go smoothly, try a little detective work to understand what’s up.
Is your child dreading early mornings and a jam-packed schedule?
Maybe they’re anxious about their upcoming classes.
Returning to days filled with responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
And hey, if they’re worried about fitting in, that’s completely normal, too.
Being curious eases tensions, lifts your teen’s spirits, and brings you closer together.
Now that you know what to do, reach out, and I’ll show you how to implement it!
❤️ Jeanine
P.S. Sign up for the Tools for Moms with Teens masterclass series to learn tools to support yourself and your teen’s mental health. You’ll hear from 28 top parenting and mental health experts for FREE.
