The Art of Getting a Teens Attention

Teens are a strange breed. Easily spooked and masters of one-word grunts. All whilst swinging from the worst day to the best day, and back again,  within seconds. You stand in amazement as you look at your once angelic offspring who now glares at you as you cheerily offer a simple good morning.  Getting any form of meaningful conversation is rather a game of hit but mainly misses. I have found, though, some cunning ways to get the attention of your teen. Yours to use at your discretion but do please use wisely. Overuse may have diverse effects.

 

We all know the trick of turning off the wifi, it’s so last year. Instead, change the password. It won’t take them that long to work out it’s been changed and they have to come to you and raise conversation. The switching off wi-fi isn’t to be dismissed as it now works very well as a way of summoning teens. Shouting/texting them their tea is ready seems to no longer works.

You may, for whatever reasons, had to resort to taking devices away from your teen. They glare some more at you, they stomp and then go off in a right hissy mood. Time is served and they gleefully get their device back. If you really want to get your point across try taking their chargers away instead. Sit back and watch their world slowly implode as their battery life dwindles down. The further it goes down the more chatty they become.

Lastly a few ways that guarantee instant teen attention :

• Put a TV programme on you really want to watch. You have to really want to watch it or really be into it. If you’re not into the programme it doesn’t work. This works even better if you don’t have the facility to pause the TV.
• Answer a really important telephone call. Corded landline works the best with this one.
• Take a shower/wash your hair/loo. Basically, anything that involves a shut door. I use to think that toddlers grew out of this one, they do but its a very brief window, roughly a day, in which you can enjoy a pee in peace.
• Make plans to go out. Proper out like all dressed up out. Don’t try to be fashionable or trendy though as you’ll get the eye rolling.
• Walk in the door with food bags. This has double response time if you have hidden chocolate in the bag.