SFP 090 What Do You Say...? Talking To Teenagers, Connecting Emotionally and Avoiding Communication Pitfalls with Ned Johnson (Self-Driven Child)

Ever find yourself wanting to have a good talk wtih your teen or tween and either getting nothing or an unexpected earful? How can we connect without seeoming pushy or fake? Do we avoid the deep emotions or dive in headfirst? If these questions are nagging and you feel you are just not able to connect with your child - this episode will provide some great advice. Ned Johnson co-wrote The Self-Driven Child with William Stixrud. After the success of that book they tackled some of the tougher communication problems described above in What Do You Say? Today we get to pick Ned's brain on some of the key messages he has for parents on how we can best communicate with our teens and tweens (and anyone else for that matter). It's a tricky balance sometimes  - being interested, but not pushy; being empathic, but not an anxious presence; wanting to give advice, but not be dogmatic; being logical, but not neglecting to respect the emotions....parenting is hard! This episode will help.