The following passage is from “Wake Up, You Could Lose Your Teen to Suicide: A Father’s Guide to Dealing with Teenage Depression & Anxiety”, a mental health and parenting memoir from advocate Chris Coulter.
This section, titled “Navigating the Teenage Years: Communication Secrets for Parents,” examines the approach parents can take for communicating with their children and emphasizes the importance of actively listening to and understanding each teenager’s unique needs.
Chris Coulter, a passionate mental health advocate, turned his personal tragedy into a mission after losing his daughter, Maddie, to suicide in 2015. He has spoken at numerous conferences and worked with the non-profit How Are You Feeling, focusing on helping children understand and manage their emotions. Through his story, we hope to shed light on the importance of mental health and emotional well-being.
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The familiar sight of an eye-roll from a teenager during a conversation is a rite of passage for most parents. These interactions often feel like one-way lectures, with teenagers asserting dominance and demanding that parents listen. The Eye-Roll Quotient (ERQ) increases as these exchanges become more one-sided. But just as we didn’t appreciate such behaviour from our parents, we should question why it would be different for our children. It’s time to shift our approach and actively listen to our teens.