When parents do not listen - School of life

 Today, here are some tips for talking to your parents. Yes, it's in this section because it's also vitally important. So I know that from now on the difficult conversations with parents will be much easier.

How to talk to your parents:

Talking to your parents can be challenging - especially when you feel they don't listen or understand you. I myself have often found myself in a situation where I had something important to say and ended up nodding or even apologising, even though I was right. Simply because it was easier.

But talking to parents is important, even if it is not always ideal. So I've put together some key points that can help with difficult conversations.

1. Choose the right moment

Notice when parents are more relaxed and in a good mood. If you start the conversation when they are already in a bad mood, there is a good chance that they will not be open to what you have to say. For me, this means waiting for the moments when I can see that Dad is not stressed or in a bad mood.

2. Start calmly and clearly

If you start the conversation with "You never listen to me!", this is likely to trigger defensiveness rather than understanding. A better strategy is something along the lines of "I want to tell you something because it is important to me." The problem with me is that they really don't listen to me very often, so what happens is that I just explode. But I know it would be better if I chose the right moment and the right way.

3. Be specific and confident

Parents are more likely to listen to you if you say exactly what you want and why. If you are vague or give in too quickly, they may lose focus. I have been in situations where I was right, but I apologised anyway - just to avoid conflict.

4. Listen to them too

Even if you think they won't agree, listen to the end. This shows them that you respect them, which can make it more likely that they will listen to you. It can be even more complicated with divorced parents, who may have completely different views. For me, this is particularly obvious with my mother, where it is more complicated than with my father.

5. Don't expect instant understanding

Sometimes parents just don't get it straight away. It doesn't mean that they are not interested, but that they need more time to process what you have said. If the conversation is important, it may need to be repeated several times.

These are the points that I have drawn from my own experience. Conversations with parents are not always easy, but they are part of life school. If you ever have problems with that too. I know that these points will help you and that they will come in handy for me too.

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