Teens and Closeness

What do teens want?

Our American culture teaches us that teens want independence. They want to be left alone. They want to spend time with their peers and Not their parents.

From everything I have seen and heard, teens still want connection and contact with their parents. They want closeness. They want to be understood and they want respect for their ideas and knowledge. What they don't want is being told what to do and they don't want their personal privacy invaded. If they receive interested listening, they are likely to feel good and happy and warm toward their parents and will even tell them personal things or seek help and advice from them or other adults.

Too often, we are the "turn-off" by being over-bearing or asking invasive questions or by distancing ourselves from them. Take some time, even if it not convenient, to listen to your teens and they and you will enjoy a warm and close relationship.