In The Strong Girls club book, we tell a lot of stories about our lives and open up about things we go through.
We give a lot of advice, but still receive questions on many things and still have a lot of questions ourselves on putting that advice to...
Sometimes it can feel like getting along with your parents is impossible. If you are feeling like you and your parents can't get on the same page, take steps to try to understand them better.
⇢ Make time with your parents.Your parents won't always be around, so spend time with them while you are able to. This doesn't mean just sitting in front of the TV together. Instead, find activities to do together. In doing this, you will learn more about what your parents enjoy doing, and it will keep things light and hopefully tension free.
Ask them what activities they might like to do together with you. For example, maybe they would enjoy playing a sport, going to the movies, going shopping, etc.
⇢Talk with your parents. In order to understand your parents better, you have to spend time engaging in conversation with them. Use this time to learn about their different hobbies, opinions, beliefs and values, to connect with them on a deeper level.
This will also demonstrate to your parents that you are interested in them as people, more than you are interested in them as your authority.
⇢Listen to them actively. This may seem obvious, but it is often harder than you think. When you are communicating with your parents, make sure you are listening. This means looking them when they are talking, not interrupting them, and speaking clearly when responding.
If you're not sure what they meant when they said something, try repeating back what you think they meant.Respectfully ask for clarification if they have said something that you do not quite understand.
⇢Share your feelings with them.This may be challenging depending on your current relationship with your parents, but do your best. It doesn't necessarily have to be a discussion about trying to understand them better (although it can be). You can also talk to them about something at school that is bothering you, or something you are excited or scared about.
⇢Make your parents feel proud.There are many, many ways that you can . By making an extra effort, you will show them that you are becoming more mature, and that they can begin to discuss things with you less as a child and more as a young adult.
⇢Be appreciative. How you do this depends on the dynamics of your family. If your family enjoys being affectionate, then you can give them a kiss or a hug along with a, "thank you for everything you do for me". This is good to do any time, but can be especially helpful if there has been a lot of tension between you and your parents lately.
⇢Be kind.This can mean doing something nice for your parents, such as hand making them a card, or it can simply mean that you should always try to be kind in your interactions with them. Before you open your mouth to say something to your parents, think about how it might make them feel.
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