Talking To Teens Can Be Difficult, But It Doesn't Have To Be
To continue on our Back to School Month Theme, Stranger Things Season 3, we’re going to talk about how to talk to teens in the most effective way. So, here’s some questions for you: Do you remember being your teens age? Did you date when you were their age? Do you remember thinking you knew everything and didn’t need your parents advise?
Let’s let those questions guide this post because well, let’s be real, we all were in that place once and so are our teens. The topic of talking to teens about various issues is extremely prevalent in Stranger Things Season 3, watch this clip below:
In this clip, Hopper, Eleven’s adopted dad is trying to find the words to have an important discussion about dating to his teenage daughter. The scene takes place after Hopper died and Eleven found the letter he wrote. Yes, it’s full of emotion but it’s also full of helpful tips:
Talk to your teens with the questions above at back of your mind.
Talk to them in a manner that is not angry or accusatory, but concerned and approachable.
Meet them where they are at. So share your stories, use examples of pop culture like Stranger Things, or big picture cliches (if you will) as talking points.
We think, obviously, that using Stranger Things is a great way to meet teens where they are at and to point to these examples relationships. For example, use the scene of Eleven spying on Mike as an example to talk about boundaries, especially cyber boundaries. Discuss how that behavior is unhealthy and why it is an invasion of a person’s privacy. Use the example of friendship from the boy’s turbulent relationship this season as a way to discuss being loyal to friends, even or especially when dating. And most importantly, use Hopper’s example for yourself. Meet teens where they are at to most effectively talk to them, and then thank Hopper for his great example.