Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers (青少年). But last summer , Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son : suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents . “ The door to his room is always shut .” Joanna noticed .
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter . “She used to cuddle up (蜷伏)with me on the sofa and talk ,” said Mark . “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something . Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady . The problem is figuring out which time is which .”
Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what’s on their minds . “In fact , parents are first on the list .” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers . “This completely changes during the teen years .” Riera explained . “They talk to their friends first , then maybe their teachers , and their parents last .”
Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them . To break down the wall of silence , parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say , and try to find ways to talk and write to them . And they must give their children a mental break , for children also need freedom , though young . Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend , not a manager , with their children is a better way to know them .
“The door to his room is always shut” suggests that the son __ .
A.is always busy with his studies | B.doesn’t want to be disturbed |
C.keeps himself away from his parents | D.begins to dislike his parents |
What troubles Tina and Mark most is that __ .
A.their daughter isn’t as lovely as before |
B.they can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly |
C.they don’t know what to say to their daughter |
D.their daughter talks with them only when she needs help |
Which of the following best explains “ the wall of silence” in the last paragraph ?
A.Teenagers talk a lot with their friends . |
B.Teenagers do not want to understand their parents . |
C.Teenagers do not talk much with their parents . |
D.Teenagers talk little about their own lives . |
What can be learned from the passage ?
A.Parents are unhappy with their growing children . |
B.Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers . |
C.Parents should be patients with their silent teenagers . |
D.Parents should try to understand their teenagers . |