A Sunday school teacher once asked her students, “What’s wrong with grown-ups?” One little boy answered, “Grown-ups never really listen, because they already know what they’re going to say.”

Most teens talk, not because they need to communicate important information, but because they’re just trying to process life. Yet all too often, we respond to their thoughts with negative comments and unwanted criticism. And after a while, they just quit sharing.

Mom, Dad, are you able to listen to your teen without trying to correct her, or trick her into giving the “right answer”? If not, it’s time to polish up your listening skills!

Your teen doesn’t always need your input or judgment. And she’s not asking for an opinion or a solution. Some days, all she really needs is a listening ear.

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