Image of a mother and daughter laughing.

Effective communication and teenagers

Good communication is the key to any relationship, and that holds true for parents and their children. The way you communicate with your child will need to change as they grow older, and this will require you both to learn new approaches. If you’d like to understand more about effective communication, go to our page on effective communication with teenagers. You might also like to chat to other parents in the forums and hear about strategies that they’ve used.

Otherwise, below you’ll find effective communication tips for parents with teenagers.

boy with phone in front of graffiti

Supporting effective communication with your teen

Communicating effectively will help you and your teenager’s relationship.

mother and son sitting on bed talking with serious expressions

Talking to your teen about disappointment

Dr David Bakker shares some tips for helping your teen cope with and learn from disappointment.

Son leaning against wall arguing with mother using hand gestures

Ask questions that encourage your teenager to talk

Active listening is vital in building rapport, understanding, tust and helping your teenager talk to you.

a woman and teenager stand in a kitchen talking

Figuring out what's up with your teenager

Find out what's wrong with your teenager and get tips on how to communicate.

Image of a mother and daughter laughing in kitchen.

How to communicate effectively with your teenager

Psychologist Clare Rowe explains how to communicate effectively with your teenager.

thoma and paul 1_resize for site

How Paul and Thoma talk about serious stuff

Learn from a dad of two about how to help your teenager figure things out.

Mother and daughter talking at a cafe (1)

How to talk to your teen about your mental health difficulties

Talking to your teen about your mental health difficulties can be challenging. Here are some strategies and tips to make the conversation effective, open and easier for both of you.

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Quiz: Negotiation & compromise with your teenager

Deciding on curfews and parties is tough. Use this interactive tool to guide you through the process.

shane and his son josh sitting down infront of a laptop

Parents and teens react to scenes about asking questions

The best way to learn how your teen is doing is just to ask them. That’s why we sought parents’ and teens’ reactions to scenes from TV shows and movies about asking questions.

seb and his mum paula sitting down infront of a laptop

Parents and teens react to scenes about active listening

What is active listening? We asked parents and teens to watch scenes from some TV shows and movies to find out more about listening.

Related topics

How to build trust in your teensWhat is family conflict?How to improve problem solving skills in teensTalking about mental health with your teen
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              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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