Another way to show your love and connect is through touch — a friendly pat on the shoulder or a warm hug. Some parents think teens outgrow touch, but in fact, physical contact is important to their emotional health. Touch sends the message: You are important to me and worthy of my interest and my time.
You can also draw closer together through discovering and supporting your teen’s uniqueness — especially when he or she has different gifts and passions from yours. What is your teen good at? Tennis? Basketball? Piano? Scottish dancing? Drama? Study your teens and take an involved interest in what they feel called to do or are gifted at. And if they haven’t yet discovered that special talent, point out the godly character traits you observe.
Parents and teens who spend time together regularly and communicate openly with one another enjoy a closer emotional connection. Barb and I stayed connected with our son and daughter by eating breakfast and supper as a family, as often as our schedules allowed. It was our time to find out what everyone was going to do, or had done, that day, as well as a time for Barb and me to share our values with our teens. Our kids knew they had Mom’s and Dad’s full attention to discuss whatever they wanted.
The goal is to make yourself a “safe place” to engage in discussing ideas, doubts or questions — about any topic, including drugs, sex, tattoos, social media, bullying, body changes, success, money, painful relationships, messy worldviews, politics, God and faith. You don’t need to have all the answers, but by providing a safe haven for your teen, you’ll be building a strong emotional connection.