Talking to a teen who answers in one word

Face-to-face, eye-contact conversations feel like interrogations to a 14-year-old. Side-by-side ones don’t.

What works

• Talk in the car. Nobody has to look at anybody.
• Do something with your hands together — cooking, fixing, fishing
• Ask specific questions: “What was the dumbest thing that happened today?” beats “How was school?”
• Late night is often when they open up. Stay up a bit.
• Listen more than you fix. If they want advice, they’ll ask.

Dad tip: You’re playing the long game. A quiet week isn’t a failure — showing up every week is the win.