For Singapore Parenting Congress 2010, our President, Mr Hj Mutalif Hashim, has given a talk about Communicating with Teens in Malay.

Barriers to Communication with Teens
Ordering: Telling a teen what he/she should do
Threatening : Telling a teen to do something
Preaching : Telling teens how to act or behave
Avoiding : Trying to avoid problems or uncomfortable situations in the hope that they may go away on their own
Pacifying :Trying to make a teen feel better without really addressing the problem
Lecturing : Giving your teens unsolicited advice
Comparing : Teens hate to be compared with others

Effective Tip in Communicating with Teens
Be a better Listener:
Discover what your teen is trying to tell you

Increase your Child’s sense of responsibility:
Include them in decision making

Three ways to create open communication:
Be honest, be an active listener and communicate with an open mind

Eliminate the stress of face-to-face communication:
Talk when doing errands, activities or exercise

How to handle a heated conversation with your teens:
Remain calm, positive and patient/ Can finish later

How to avoid hurting their feelings while discussing tough issues:
Don’t attack their friends, don’t lecture, and focus on positive aspects while working together to address the negative ones

For the benefit of those who did not manage to attend the talk, the pdf version of the speech is attached here.