Surprising Aspects of Teen Communication
Dr. Allen was also asked what the surprising aspects of communicating with teenagers could be, he replied,
“That there could be such positive results from a teen arguing with their parents, as long as they did it in a constructive, reasonable manner. We also found that having a relationship in which parents actively provided support and guidance to their teens (which we observed in interactions) predicted teens being less influenced by their peers.”
Teens who communicate with mom are better able to resist peer pressure. Image by APatterson
Teaching children how to politely speak about their opinions, even if there is disagreement in those opinions, can build social skills that prevent substance addiction. Additionally, communicating with children will create a situation where children will communicate freely, without the negative interactions and yelling. The piece of mind knowing that your child will have a less hostile home life, and be better prepared to handle peer pressure, can make even the most worried of mothers happy.
References:
Allen, J. (2011). Predictors of Susceptibility to Peer Influence Regarding Substance Use in Adolescence. Child Development. 22 Dec 2011.
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