What would change if you were more compassionate?
When your teen can’t get off their device, or
They rudely tell you to get out of their room, or
Their grades are tanking,
What would change if you started the conversation filled with compassion?
What if you saw the struggle beneath the behavior?
How would that change your interaction?
When they don’t put their device away, they may struggle with self-control.
When they are rude, they may struggle with feeling good enough.
When their grades are tanking, they may struggle with a challenging concept.
Seeing the struggle behind the behavior fills you with compassion.
Your teen is learning to navigate peer pressure and academic overwhelm.
They are developing life skills like time management and self-control.
What if you thought, “They just haven’t mastered this skill YET”?
My clients tell me this helps them be patient and compassionate.
Imagine your teen broke curfew, and you calmly uncover that they didn’t want to be the first to leave the party. You empathize with their desire to avoid humiliation and collaborate on what would be a better choice next time. How would that change your relationship?
Compassion is not condoning their poor choice.
Compassion is seeing the struggle that caused the poor choice.
When you are patient and compassionate, your teen makes better choices quickly.
They feel understood, and you feel close.
♥️ Jeanine
P.S. You are not alone if you’re unclear on how to get your teen to cooperate without conflict. Book a complimentary consultation to learn the solution for your family.
