Mindful parenting helps in communicating with teens

TAMPA, Fla. - The teen years are about changing gears and navigating into adulthood.

"Adolescence is an age when people are trying to establish themselves and their own identity, their own individual selves and sometimes that runs against what parents would like for their children,” explained Dr. Rick Weinberg, an associate professor of psychology at the University of South Florida.

It can be a complicated road to travel, especially for their parents.  

"Communication between parents and their teenage daughters and sons has always been a struggle,” said Dr. Weinberg.

He said talking to teens can get easier with mindful parenting.  

According to Weinberg, "It is a very different world the teen's live in today than the world in which their parents lived.”

So it's important to be understanding.

"The first thing to do is to listen to listen with curiosity, to listen with interest, to listen with fascination and then after listening to try to understand where their adolescents are coming from and then to respond with logic and reason,” said Weinberg.

Don't be quick to judge.  

"Sometimes teens want to do things that they believe reflect their own independence but in their parents' minds it reflects immaturity,” Weinberg explained.

If you need to set boundaries, say with cellphones or video games, explain why.

"Reasons often go a whole lot farther than edicts,” said Weinberg.

He said it is important to keep the communication on a positive note by finding something that reflects the child’s competence, gifts and reasons why they are loved.