It may seem confusing for you when you hear your teenager using words that don’t seem to fit their meaning. Well, wake-up call parents out there! Teenagers have come up with a whole different language in order to talk about issues like alcohol, sex, and the like among themselves. Now, where does this leave you? In the dark, if you don’t at least try to better acquaint yourself with what these ‘words’ could mean.
Understanding teen language
To begin with, you may be wondering why my teen would have to resort to using ‘code’ words in order to talk about things with other teens. Well, adults are adults and teenagers are pretty much aware of the fact that certain topics may come off a different way once heard by a parent. Now don’t panic and reprimand your teen for starting a conspiracy once he/she gets back from class. Just because teens use code words doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re planning a stake out. As we know, adolescence is a confusing stage and wanting some privacy for sensitive issues isn’t something abnormal.
Be open with your teen
As parent, it’s your responsibility to differentiate the slang from real issues that need confrontation. How can you do this? By being open with your teen. Running the home like a drill sergeant may get things done around the household, but it won’t do wonders for getting close to your teenager and understanding his/her world. If you choose this route, the responses you may get from your teen may not get much deeper than a yes/no ma’am/sir. By talking to your teenager on the level, eye-to-eye, you aren’t compromising your figure as an authority in the household; you are opening up an opportunity for your teen to let you have a peek in his/her world. Knowing is power, whatever you may find out can help you in providing your teen with the guidance that he/she needs. Communicate with other parents
If you really seem to be having trouble with your teen opening up to you, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to other parents from the community. Sharing knowledge of ‘teen language’ can do a lot of help for parents struggling with guarded teens. Talking to someone from school who is around the kids a lot is a good idea as well. They get to hear firsthand what teen groups are saying. Communicate with your teen
Most importantly, once you have gained some knowledge into the language of teens, apply it. If you hear your teen mumbling about an issue that you know is dangerous, don’t let the opportunity pass up. Talk to your teen and let him/her understand that communication is the only way you can provide your full support.
|
