 |
|
|
How Parents and Teens Can Talk to
Each Other
|
|
Part II: Teen to Parent
(To read part I of this letter, go to Parent
to Teen)
Click
on the underlined text to view
our comments
on what's right or wrong with the letter.
|
The Wrong Way
Dear Mom,
Get a life!!! I'm tired of you and Dad being on my
back all the time. You're always criticizing my friends
and you don't even try to get to know them. Nothing
I ever do is right.
Your rules are stupid. And don't
expect me to go to dinner at Grandma's this weekend,
either!!!
Gabriella
|
The Write Way
Dear Mom,
Thanks for your letter! You know,
it used to really bother me that you would just expect
me to want to do everything with you guys, like I
was 5 years old or something.
Friday and Saturday are important
nights to be with my friends but Sunday dinner with
Grandma would be OK, I guess.
You know that this is the first
time that you've invited my friends over?
Thanks. It would be nice to hang
out at home, as long as you and Dad aren't in the
family room every two minutes to check on us. I mean,
we're not criminals.We just want to be together.
Thanks for talking to me like an adult. And thanks
for not bugging me about my clothes!
Love, Gabriella
Samples letters written by Dr.
Louise Klein, psychotherapist
|
Use at least
several of the following principles :
Don't get stuck
in an impasse. Tell your parent that you understand
his disappointment.Accept the invitation to explain
what happened and start a dialogue.Accept responsibility
if you did something wrong.Ask for forgiveness.
|
|
Your Way
Register
first to send a letter
|
|
|
|