(U.S.) Are you unsure about how to help them talk about their feelings? Well, you’re not alone.

This informational series brought to you by the Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition.

From a health pandemic to continued debates and division over social injustice and racial tension, 2020 has been anything but easy. While this year has proven a challenge for us as parents, it has also been an uphill battle for our children, who oftentimes cannot express those feelings as easily as we can.

The Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition is sharing the following tips to keep in mind as we all try to navigate today’s world.

Be Available

Watch for the times when your kids are most likely talk. These times can include, for example, at bedtime, dinnertime, in the car, and so on. Look for opportunities when you’re not competing with other distractions.

Listen Actively

When your child does start talking to you be sure to listen fully. Let your child know that what’s on their mind matters and that you genuinely care about their concerns.

Respond Thoughtfully 

Take a moment before answering to consider how you can best express your opinion without minimizing theirs. As parents, we may not always like the things our children say, but there is a constructive way to acknowledge disagreements, which can be healthy and allow relationships to grow when done so constructively.

Consider

Kids learn by example. They watch us even when we don’t know it and often they will follow our lead in how they deal with anger, solve problems, and work through difficult feelings. Help your children to adopt healthy coping strategies by modeling those positive behaviors yourself.

Be sure to visit adctusc.org for trustworthy resources as we all work together to help our kids live healthy, happy, drug-free lives.