One helpful listening technique is to periodically restate what your teen has just said, paraphrasing rather than parroting it back word for word. To do that, you need to listen closely to the verbal content of your teen’s message. But it also helps to pay attention to the emotional content as well as your teen’s intent and values. Then reflect those things back when you restate what you’ve heard: “You’re spending two hours on homework and still not getting it done, and you’re feeling frustrated. I know you really want to do well academically, and passing this class is important to you.” Doing
...more
