Why Teenagers Are Silent Toward Parents and Grandparents
Whether you had kids later in life or are a grandparent of a teenager, it can be an interesting—and sometimes frustrating—time as an important part of a young person’s life.
That person still needs your love and guidance, but they may not exactly show or indicate that they do.
Teenagers may not tell you why they don’t like to talk about things, but studies have been conducted to find those reasons. Onondaga Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at four reasons why a teenager may not want to communicate with a parent or grandparent.
- Afraid of the Reaction
Based on how a loved one reacts to their child, they may have had an experience in the past that causes them not to say anything in the future. If you’re concerned that this might be the case, experts advise asking if they’re worried you’ll have a bad reaction, and remain calm and be open-minded to their answer.
- Anticipating Repercussions
A teenager may not want what they perceive to be an overreaction to something that’s troubling them. In they did poorly on a test, for instance, will privileges be taken away? If they’re concerned about something a friend did, will a parent not allow them to socialize with that person?
- Worried About Loose Lips
Teenagers suspect that a parent will share information with another parent or grandparents will tell the parents what they talk about, whereas the teen may feel more comfortable if they know what they are saying is kept private. Parents can assure the child that, barring a crisis, they can be afforded some confidentiality.
- Truly Don’t Want to Talk About It
If something happens at school that upsets a child, many researchers find that by time they get home, enough time has gone by that they’re over what bothered them, and talking about it would just force them to re-live it and have to deal with it again, so if talking doesn’t feel like the solution, they won’t want to talk.
To learn more about Onondaga Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://onondaga-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
