Learning Enrichment News

Communication is an important part of our everyday lives. In the LEC we try to always speak in love, with kindness and care but I don’t always get this right! I am a work in progress. Reflecting on God’s word in Philippians 4v8, I can hear my mother’s voice, as she shared God’s word with me: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

How can children and teenagers talk to their parents and caregivers?

As a young person it is sometimes hard to talk about things that bother us, ask for help and get advice. Students may worry about: What do I say? How do I say it? What will my parents think? They’ll be cross! So, then we just ask our friend/s, who sometimes don’t know the answers either.

Tips for young people when talking to parents:

• It is never too late to start talking to you parents.
• Talk about everyday stuff — and do it every day (this makes it less awkward and builds a bond).
• Find something to chat about each day. You can keep it brief and casual like:
  • Share a fun post or picture.
  • Tell your parents about a school project.
  • Even asking about what's for dinner, can keep you feeling close.
• Do things together that you both enjoy:
  • Go for a walk, work out together, ask about something your parent is interested in.
  • Cook, eat, play, make music, help or just hang out together. This gives you a chance to have a casual chat.

How to talk about difficult topics

Maybe you need to break bad news to a parent. Maybe you're feeling scared or stressed about something. Or there's something personal you want to share, like a special person in your life.

To help you prepare, you can:

• Think about what you want or need from your parent.
• Think about how you feel. Put feelings into words. For example:

• "I want to tell you something that's pretty personal. And I'm worried about how you'll react. But I want to tell you anyway."
• "I need to talk to you. But I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."
• "I need to talk to you about something. But it's kind of embarrassing."
• "I have something to tell you. I'm not proud of what I've done, and you might be cross. But I know I need to tell you. Can you hear me out?"

• Practice what you are going to say.
• Pick a good time to talk. Find a time when your parent isn't busy with something else.
• Keep trying to connect with your parents, if at first you don’t succeed – don’t give up!

You can get more great advice from Teens Health: https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/talk-to-parents.html

Mrs Chantal McAllister, Head of Learning Enrichment P-12