Your Job is to Build Trust

If you really want your child to be open and honest, your job is to build trust. 
Most parents of teens don’t think about this.

You focus on all the things they should be doing.
You think about the ways their life could go wrong.

When you start a conversation with those thoughts, your child will get annoyed and stop listening.

As a parent, it’s perfectly natural to feel compelled to help them move in a productive direction.

For so many years, it was your job to keep them safe:
You held their hand when they crossed the street.
You set boundaries regarding places they can go.
You taught them how to protect themselves from strangers.

Your actions built trust between you.

But when your child becomes a teen, there is a different way to keep them safe.

Now it’s your job to create an emotionally safe space for your child to confide in you.
A space to share what they are thinking.
A space to share how they are feeling.

This happens when you manage your worries.
This happens when you change the conversation.

When you start a conversation from a place of curiosity, your child feels seen and heard.
They talk about what’s bothering them.
They want your help managing their fears.

This is the best way to preserve that connection you worked so hard to build.
This is the best way to ensure they want you to be a part of their life.

Be the first call your son makes when he aces his exam.
Be the first call your daughter makes when she lands her first job offer.
Be the first call your son makes when he finds out he’s going to be a dad.

Build the foundation now so that this can be your future.

Happy Friday.
Jeanine

P.S. I can help you build the foundation. Book a 60-minute complimentary call to explore working together. Click here.