How to Ask a Teenager How They Are Really Doing
Launch library · evergreen read
Teenagers can be quick to sense when a question is really an interrogation in disguise. Asking how they are really doing works best when it comes without an agenda, and without an immediate follow up list of concerns or advice. There is no need to have everything figured out before taking this step.
Choosing a low pressure setting, such as during a car trip or while doing something together, can help. Letting a teenager answer on their own terms, even if the first response is brief, keeps the door open for a longer conversation later, rather than closing it through pressure.
If a teenager shares something serious, Kids Helpline supports people aged five to twenty five on 1800 55 1800, and Lifeline is available to the whole family on 13 11 14. Nobody expects a perfect explanation, only a willingness to be honest. Whatever the circumstances, this kind of care tends to matter more than it seems in the moment.