Tips For Talking to Your Teen About Schedule Overload

Find ways to help your teen experience success within a reasonable schedule.

So if you consider making some changes, try to learn specifically what your teen’s worries might be and do whatever you feasibly can to address them. Ask questions about what they like most about each activity, and pull out the feelings behind the fears. Let them know that you totally understand and want to prioritize the things that are most important to them.

For example: “I saw you grin when you made that basket and everyone cheered. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? If that is really important to you, let’s make sure one of your two activities is a team sport like that.” Or, “You’re really enjoying getting to know Katie and Eva, aren’t you? Maybe if we cut debate club, you can invite them over after school some days.”

Even though you might decide that cutting back on some activities is the best thing for your teen (and your family) in the long run, show them that you “get” why they could be upset, and that you want to value what matters to them. The end result? A more workable schedule for everyone and a better understanding of the individual your teen is becoming.

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Shaunti Feldhahn loves sharing eye-opening information that helps people thrive in life and relationships. She herself started out with a Harvard graduate degree and Wall Street credentials but no clue about life. After an unexpected shift into relationship research for average people like her, she now is a popular speaker and author of best-selling books about men, women and relationships. (Including For Women Only, For Men Only, and the groundbreaking The Good News About Marriage).

Her latest book, Find Peace: A 40-day Devotional Journey For Moms, focuses on discovering biblical direction to become a woman of serenity and delight in all seasons – and have impact for generations to come.

Visit www.shaunti.com for more.