Question:
Casey (now 13) used to tell me all about his day when he came home from school. Now I get a monosyllabic grunt whenever I ask what's new. How can I get him to open up?Answer:
ParentingTeensOnline expert Dr. Michael Schwartzman answers the question, "How can I get my teen to talk to me?" Dr. Schwartzman is a family therapist in New York City and the co-author of "The Anxious Parent". He writes:
Welcome to the parenting of a teenager. One hallmark is grunts—meaningful grunts. Over time, you will come to understand them and their nuances. There’s the ‘leave me alone’ grunt, the ‘I don’t want to talk about it’ grunt, and then, you get into the expletive grunts. Basically, these sounds mean, please put off your concerns until I am ready to deal with it and/or you. It has nothing to do with his love for you. Think of it as an attempt to handle life on his own. Timing is everything with your 13-year-old… and don’t hold it against him.