Talking to Your Parents

Sure, you talk to your parents, but what if you need to really talk? Maybe you have a problem you can't solve alone. Or it could be that you want to feel closer to your parent. It's good to confide in your parents. In fact, it can help a lot.

If you don’t have a parent you can talk to, you can talk with another trusted adult in your life. Find a teacher, coach, relative, or counselor who will listen and understand when you want to talk.

Here are a few ideas about what to talk about:

Talk about everyday stuff. Make it a habit to talk to your parent about regular things from your day. Share what goes well for you. Tell them about a good part of your day, a grade you're proud of, or a funny joke a friend told you. Talking helps you be close and enjoy each other more. That way, when you need to talk about a problem you’re having, it’s easier.

Talk about a problem you’re going through. Some kids might think if they share a problem, they'll make a parent worried or upset. But parents can handle knowing about your problem, big or small. If they look concerned, it just means they care, and that they feel for you.

Some kids might not bring up a problem because they just don't want to think about it. They might hope it will just go away. But that hardly ever solves it. And bottling up your feelings can make you feel stressed.

Talk about something you’re worried about. If you’re worried about something, let a parent know what’s on your mind. Just talking about it can make a worry seem smaller. And parents can help you figure out how to handle what you’re worried about. That helps you feel more prepared.

Talk about your feelings. Talking about your feelings helps you know yourself better. It helps you handle your feelings well. A parent can be the perfect person to share feelings with. After all, they know you pretty well. You can be yourself with them.

Spend time doing things you both enjoy. It’s easy to talk to a parent when you make time to do things together. Invite your parent to go for a walk, play a game, play a sport, cook together, or watch a show you both like. Having time together helps you both relax, have fun together, and feel close. That makes it easy to open up to have a chat – about anything at all, or about nothing special.