Creating Trust with Your Teen

Creating Trust with Your Teen

In my last blog, I discussed the gamut of experiences and the rollercoaster of emotions that teens experience when they transition back to school, and especially to high school. Building trust with your teen is essential to fostering a healthy and supportive relationship so that you can be on the same team with them during this time. Here are some ways to create and maintain trust:

Be Consistent:

• Follow through on promises and commitments. Consistency in your actions and words helps teens feel secure and builds reliability.

Show Respect:

• Respect their privacy and space. Knock before entering their room and allow them to have private conversations and time alone.

• Listen to their opinions and validate their feelings, even if you don’t always agree.

Communicate Openly:

• Share your own experiences and feelings appropriately. This models healthy communication and shows that you trust them with your thoughts.

• Be honest about your expectations and the reasons behind them.

Encourage Responsibility

• Give them age-appropriate responsibilities and trust them to complete tasks on their own without checking in too often or nagging them to finish the task. This helps them develop a sense of competence and reliability.

• Allow them to face the consequences of their actions, which teaches accountability and builds trust.

Be Supportive:

• Show interest in their activities and passions. Attend their events and celebrate their achievements!

• Offer help and guidance without taking over. Support their efforts to solve their own problems and encourage their critical thinking skills.

Practice Empathy:

• Understand their struggles and pressures. Acknowledge their challenges and offer comfort and support.

• Avoid dismissing their feelings or experiences. Validate their emotions and provide a listening ear.

Providing the right balance of independence and support will help your teen navigate this period with confidence and resilience. Remember, your teen’s desire for independence is a natural and necessary part of their development. By fostering open communication, showing respect, and building trust, you can help them thrive both emotionally and academically. And if you would like more personalized advice on communicating and having a healthy relationship with your teen, reach out to me anytime!