#3 Understanding Body Language

It’s PSYCH 101 material, so pull out your 1970-80’s college textbook! Remember when you were taught about body language? When people lie, they avoid eye contact, and opt for looking up and to their right (your left). When someone is nervous, they may fidget, their hands get clammy, and they tend to immerse themselves in something else, like their phones, a magazine, or running around doing several things at once. This is them trying to distract themselves, so they don’t succumb to the terrible gut-wrenching fear of something.

The point being that sometimes you don’t need to even say a word to better communicate with your teenagers. Sometimes, it’s enough to pay attention to their mannerisms. And if you sense anguish, reach over and give them a nice squeeze on the shoulders! You don’t need to say anything, just be there, and let them know you’re around to talk - if they want.