Kelly Wallace Omg Your Teen Actually Talk To You Analysis
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The article "OMG! Your teen actually talks to you?" by Kelly Wallace investigated the best methods of parenting to get teenagers to open up. Many methods were described throughout the text. Openness and an almost blunt questioning can remove the awkward transitions. Revealing one's own flaws to a child will instill a respect for the parent, as both parties begin to see each other as people. Wallace also detailed some grave mistakes made by parents, such as being too intense with reactions or talking too much. In both of these cases, parents separate themselves from their children, becoming condescending and creating a fear or feeling of being alienated. It is encouraged to make sure a teen is comfortable when talking, and the parent must respect him or her, letting the teen dominate the conversation…show more content… Kelly Wallace's article included many applicable and well-thought strategies for talking to teens. To commence, the stress on essentially "leveling the playing field" by revealing flaws is a beneficial method as I have experienced in my own life. After procrastinating on a project in middle school, I had to stay up late the day before to finish it. My mother knew that I was feeling extreme remorse for it, and rather than becoming overbearing and lecturing, she admitted to doing the same thing when she was younger. She still reprimanded me, but by adding that personal connection, it sounded more concerned than disappointed. It nurtured a deeper bond and inspired me to do better in the future. In addition, practiced empathy is a strategy which I, as a teen, respect and appreciate entirely. Most every child has heard his or her parent say: "when I was your age..." and continue on to shrink the importance of the child's issues behind the shadow of the parent's own. This in itself is counterintuitive; personally, it makes me feel as though we are debating on opposite sides. By forcing empathy, you