Radio Commentary
It can be difficult for parents to communicate with their children during the young adolescent years. Thinking ahead about your own standards, and helping children structure their tasks, can be a great help.
In fact, one of the best strategies for parents is being prepared.
In the middle school years, prepare for possible conflicts. Before any issue reaches a boiling point, think carefully about what is truly important to you.
Is your child’s hairstyle as important as homework? Isn’t curfew more of a concern than crabbiness? Dawdling is easier to accept than drug use.
Know ahead of time what areas you are willing to negotiate and which are absolute for you.
Here’s another tip. When young people are feeling overwhelmed, parents can help them organize their goals and tasks clearly.
Think about it: A disastrous bedroom, 12 overdue math assignments, a long-term project that’s “suddenly” due in a few days or hours. All of these combined can make a preteen decide to give up, rather than get started.
Help your child break those tasks into smaller parts. For example: clean off the bed, get five assignments done tonight, and assemble materials for the project.
This will help them structure the tasks so that they seem more approachable and doable.
