10 Tips for Talking to Parents 

1. Choose your time wisely.  Don't try to start a serious conversation when your parents are obviously, cranky, stressed out, busy doing something else, or sleeping.
   
   
2. Be Respectful.  Your parents will be much more willing to hear you out if they don't feel they're being attacked or ridiculed.
   
   
3. Speak Precisely and Concisely.  Say what you mean and don't take forever to say it.
   
   
4. When you approach your parents with a problem, come prepared with suggestions for solving it.  Why should they do all the work?
   
   
5. Make a genuine effort to see their point of view.  Put yourself in their shoes.  Try to empathize with them.  You're not the only person with an opinion, a brain, or feelings.
   
   
6. Watch your body language.  Glaring, turning your back, slouching, shaking a fist, pointing a finger, sneering, gagging, and rolling your eyes are not recommended.
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   Keep your voice down, please.  Nobody likes to be yelled at.
   
   
8. Avoid "you statements."  "You don't understand me" or "You never let me do what I want" don't help to get your point across.  Instead, use "I statements"--like "I guess I haven't done a very good job of explaining myself to you" or "I feel like you don't trust me to make decisions about what's most important to do in school."
   
   
9. Pay attention.  You'll be more effective if you look at your parents (not the wall or out the window) while they're speaking.
   
   
10. Be Willing to compromise.  Give a little and you might get a lot.
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