Teens love to argue their viewpoints.
Look at the person. You need to be in person and face-to-face for this to work well, no texting or social media.
Say “I understand how you feel". This starts the discussion off on a positive note. Be sincere in your desire to come to agreement, and admit the other person's right to an opinion.
Tell why you feel differently. Get your “ducks in a row", which means get everything properly organized and under control.
Give a reason. Be sure your reasons are sensible and you can support them with facts.
Listen to the other person attentively. Give the other person time to present his or her view.
Say “thank you for listening”. Sometimes you get what you want, and sometimes you don't, but at least you've had a chance to give your opinion and hear the other person's thoughts, too.
Make sure to practice several times before your child actually needs to use the skill. Over time, you'll find this skill calms things down in your house and equips your teens to navigate differences of opinion wherever they may be —— and that's a win-win for everyone!
A.Use a pleasant voice. |
B.Don't act before thinking. |
C.And always think before you speak. |
D.However, listen attentively at first. |
E.Don't interrupt, look bored or argue. |
F.Teach your teens to disagree properly! |
G.Instead, wait till everyone has cooled down and is ready to listen. |