do.”
But sometimes the teenager doesn’t need a solution yet.
They need someone to listen.
They may need to explain the situation completely before they even know what they want.
Listening can communicate:
“You can tell me things without immediately being judged.”
That can become extremely valuable later if a serious problem develops.
Don’t Punish Honesty
This is one of the hardest lessons in parenting.
If a teenager finally admits something difficult, the parent’s first emotional reaction may be anger.
Perhaps the teenager says:
“I made a terrible mistake.”
The
