Getting along with your parents

communication; conflict; respect; negotiation; tolerance; responsibility;

Content

• Communication
• How to talk with parents
• Respect
• The rules
• Consequences
• When you're not allowed to…
• Parents are people too
• What kids say
• Dr Kate says

This topic is about getting along with yoru parents or those adults who live with and look after you. These may be foster parents, grandparents, other family members or life partners of your birth mum or dad.

Communication

When you were very little, you and your parents communicated in lots of different ways.

You would:

• hug or touch each other
• play together
• smile and be pleased to see each other
• express your feelings easily to each other
• talk to each other
• be together almost all the time.

When you went off to kindy and then school, you spent less time together; you had other people to talk to, play with and learn from.

As you get older, you become less dependent on your parents and more dependent on yourself. That's how it should be. That's part of growing up.

But communication between you and your parents is not any less important. In fact, it becomes more important as you reach your puberty years.

• Parents want to know that you are safe and happy, so they ask questions. They want to know about your friends, where you are going, what you are doing, and heaps of other stuff that you may feel they don't always need to know!
• Remember that your parents still love and care for you and they are still responsible for you.
• Communication is very important, although the ways in which you communicate may change. You and your parents may need to work out ways to communicate that give you all some independence, privacy and the freedom to express yourselves in a positive way.

 

How to talk with parents

If you want someone to listen to you then you have to listen to them.

Good listening looks like:

• being respectful when talking to your parents
• looking at the person who is talking
• saying back to them what you think they mean
• making yourself clear
• talking quietly and calmly
• waiting until they finish before saying anything
• being prepared to negotiate - no-one can always have everything all his own way
  
• choosing a convenient time to talk, when mum is driving in traffic is not good!
• sticking to the subject rather than dragging in all sorts of other stuff.

Helpful hint: don't ask for something when others are there. No-one likes to be 'put on the spot'! You will definitely get into the 'bad books'. And never 'play' one parent against another. You know what I mean: "But dad said I could" or 'Mum says it's OK". This could mean that you are no longer trusted and it could cause problems between your parents.

Respect

If people treat others with respect, then they can expect to be treated with respect.

• Respect the rules of your household. Your friends may have different rules where they live but they don't live with you!
• Negotiate together.
• Use problem solving techniques if you have a problem.
• Respect property. You wouldn't like someone to break something of yours or use it without permission, so don't think that you can do what you like with whatever is in the house.
• Respect other siblings and their rights.
• Respect family traditions. You may not want to go to family parties but go anyway, at least for a short time. It's part of being a family.

The rules

Everywhere has rules. You have grown up with lots of rules around the house and as you get older there may be more rules. These rules are for the benefit of everyone living in the house, their safety and comfort.

As you get older you may want to make some changes. Make a time to talk to your parents if you don't already have a regular time ( like when you are in bed, or when you are eating together).

You may want to talk about:

• rules about privacy and everyone's own space
• rules about going out with friends
  
• rules about laundry, snacks and homework
• rules about the computer and when you can use the internet.

Remember that this is your home, but your parents' house.

Consequences

When rules are broken there are always consequences. Part of growing up is learning that whatever you do has an effect on others as well as yourself.

You may think that being late home is okay because you were safely with a friend. Your mum may see that very differently. You could end up being grounded.

Instead of whingeing "How unfair" etc. do a bit of thinking.

• What was the reason you were grounded
• Did you learn anything from this
• What could you have done so that mum wasn't worried
• How can you show that you have learned a lesson and will be more responsible in future

When you're not allowed to…

Once you reach puberty you start to think that you're nearly grown up. How annoying is it when parents seem to want to treat you as if you were still a little kid?

Well, parents are keen on your being safe at all times, so you need to work with them.

• You need to explain that what you want to do is safe. You need to be able to explain how you know this.
• You need to listen to what they say.
• You need to be prepared for them to check up on what you have said.
• You need to be prepared to negotiate.

An example: My teenage daughter wanted to go to a rock concert with her friends from school. They were to go on the train and meet in town, walk to the concert then walk back to town and catch the train home. As a parent my immediate reaction was "No Way" as I thought of all the things that might happen to my 'baby'.

We talked about it and checked with her friends' parents.

After some negotiation she did get to go, and so did her friends. But, all the parents got together so that the girls were taken to the concert. They were picked up outside afterwards and driven home to their own homes. No parents were allowed to go to the concert with the girls so everyone got something of what they wanted.

The girls were happy and the parents were too (once we'd got our girls safely home again!)

 

Parents are people too

Your parents chose to have children, but remember that your parents are not just your parents. They have other roles too. You need to check out that it's okay before you make any arrangement with friends or teams.

Parents deserve some 'time-out' too!  So, be respectful to whoever is looking after you when your parents are out. If you act like 'the kid from hell' it could be really hard for them to find a babysitter next time and that wouldn't be fair.

What kids say

• "I think parents should learn to trust their kids and let them do stuff on their own. If they never give them any freedom then they will never learn to be independent."
• "It's up to parents and kids to trust each other. Sometimes parents say you should always do something, and then they don't."
• "Sometimes parents should try and see things from their kid's point of view. I want my parents to realize that I'm growing up and I want to be more independent. If they don't tell me what to pack every morning then I won't forget anything because I've been packing and unpacking my schoolbag for 7 years!"
• "When I go out somewhere with my friends I know what I'm doing. We're not going to follow some dodgy guy into his car. We're not that stupid!"
• "My friend seems to get to do more than me. I know my parents worry about me but I feel like they think I'm still a little kid."
• "I guess it's important to be honest with parents. If you don't tell lies you can't be found out. If your parents know that you always tell the truth, they will give you more freedom because they will think that you can be trusted to do the right thing."

Dr Kate says

Everyone has many roles to play in their lives. Whatever role you play in the outside world, you can be yourself at home. So can everyone else in your family.

Unlike friends you didn't choose them and they didn't choose you. Learn to get along with each other, respect each other and care for each other. These are the people who will be part of your life for ever.

 

When I was your age I sneaked out at night. Read under the bedclothes With a flashlight. Went scrumping apples Smoked behind the shed. Got sprung by my dad And sent straight to bed. I grumbled and groaned, "I'm no little lad." But that was before - and now I'm a dad. So listen to us Your mum and your dad Help us keep you safe From anything bad. BH

We've provided this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.