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Learn the lingo.

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Fern Weis

Whatever.       Fine.         I don’t know.

To a parent, these expressions can feel confusing and confrontational.  Don’t take it personally.  They are speaking “teen”, a foreign language with unfamiliar nuances.

Phrases like these vary in meaning, from “You have no idea what my day was like” to “I’m confused” to “I’d rather be with my friends” to “I can’t hear you when you lecture me”.

Initiate a conversation with your child.  Explain how these kinds of responses feel to you and ask for their help in translation.  Then you can come up with a response that is less emotional and keeps the brick walls from going up between you.

Resource:
Teenage as a Second Language — A Parent’s Guide to Becoming Bilingual, by Greenberg and Powell-Lundner.

Posted in communication, parenting, teens | Tags: communication, parenting, teens |
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