Bridging The Gap Between Teens and Parents

Seems that having a 10 year old has certainly made me think about the future ahead when it comes to communication – especially lately. I’ve been lucky so far to have a child who is super open and honest about the ups and downs he’s been experiencing in his little life circle thus far. What happens in a few years when that circle grows and his own thoughts on life evolve further? Will he be as honest as he has always been, am I being naive to think that he’s always going to be verbally able to communicate his feelings and understandings to us easily when he becomes a teen?

I hope he will never change, but the reality is that within these next couple of years on the road to teen-hood my little boy will at some point feel the need to with hold information from us because quite simply, that’s what kids do.

That’s why I am proactive about trying to bridge the gap between us before it even happens. In a recent poll, teens around the world (74%) are on board, saying they’d be interested in talking to parents about the shows they watch – there is hope still! A recent Netflix study reveals a new place where you can find common ground: Entertainment. Canadian parents (82%) are already watching teen shows to feel closer to them and With the majority (89%) of Canadian parents agreeing entertainment would give them something to talk about, let Netflix be the common ground and try taking a walk in your kid’s shows.

This may be the key to parental communication, and acceptance about issues we would not be aware of otherwise!

Watch this social experiment for a reality check, just in case you think otherwise.