Episode Details

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen.

How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen

Communication is key with teens! Join Vicki for tips on strengthening relationships with your homeschool high schoolers by having meaningful conversations.

Featured in this post:

• Strategies for having good conversations with teens
• Approaches for having good conversations with teens
• Pick the right time and place
• Talk with food
• Be judgment-free
• Don’t try to fix it- just let them talk
• Use conversation starters

We homeschool moms wear multiple hats, from teachers to mentors, referees, and counselors, and naturally, we want to have those kinds of connections with our teens. But let’s be real – some teens open up like books, while others need a whole invitation to get past “fine” when you ask them how their day was.

Strategies For Having Good Conversations with Teens

First things first, it’s important to remember that not every teen is the same. Some are natural-born chatterboxes, while others are more introspective and observers. 

It’s important to recognize that each teen has their own personality and preferred way of communicating  

If your teen is not the type to pour out their thoughts right away, try not to take it personally. It does not necessarily mean they do not want to talk. It might just means they might need a different approach.

Let’s try some of these approaches:

We at 7Sisters had all kinds of teens. Here are some of the different approaches that we found worked with various teens.

Pick the Right Time and Place

That leads to the first strategy – pick your time and place. For instance, trying to engage a night owl teen at 7:30 AM is a recipe for disaster. And if your early bird is ready for a chat, 10 PM might not be the best time. 

Likewise, sometimes a neutral setting, like grabbing a coffee or taking a car ride, can make all the difference. Car rides, in particular, can be magical because no one has to make eye contact, and the movement seems to ease the pressure. Vicki found car rides were the number one location for deep and meaningful conversations with her teens.

Talk with Food

Another helpful tip? Let food facilitate a fun conversation!

It’s funny, but sometimes sitting down with snacks creates an atmosphere where teens feel more comfortable. It’s like sharing food levels the playing field and makes even tough conversations feel less formal. 

You do not have to go all out – a simple snack at the kitchen table