How to Not Freak Out When Talking to Your Teenager

Keep the big-picture goal in mind

Sure, there will be times when you have strong reactions, and yes, you’re the parent so it may be entirely appropriate to show significant displeasure as part of discipline. But constantly keep in mind: what is my big-picture goal here? If you ultimately want your daughter or son to feel able to share their life with you, then there will be at least some cases where you decide to pull back on the emotion (not the action or the discipline), in order to not shut down lines of communication with your child.

I love Proverbs 15:1 that says, “A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” During this season of life, a gentle reaction to your teen’s words will generally yield greater results than one filled with big emotions.