The hardest part of connecting with your teen is getting the conversation started. Here are 15 minute conversation starters from mentalhealth.org.
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What’s your favorite color?
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What makes you angry?
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What makes you scared?
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Would you rather be rich or famous? Why?
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What makes you laugh?
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What’s your favorite sport? Why?
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Can you teach me how to (-------)?
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What’s your favorite vegetable?
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What’s your favorite fruit?
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What do you do during lunch/recess?
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What does success mean to you?
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What’s your favorite animal? Why?
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Why do you think some kids/adults dress different?
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What’s a skill you wish you had? Why?
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How important are someone’s looks? Why?
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Would you rather be smart or nice? Why?
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What do you remember about your first day at ___ (school, work..)?
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What do you love about _____ (school, work, sport…)?
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What do you like being age __? Male/Female?
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What would you change about your childhood? Teen years? Why?
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Have you ever laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe? What was so funny?
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What one room in your house would you change and how?
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What three things make a person popular at school/work?
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What was the best thing that happened to you today?
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If you could change one physical thing about yourself, what would it be?
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Where would you go, if you could travel anywhere in the world?
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What’s the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
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If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
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Would you rather be good looking, smart, or athletic? Why?
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Describe the perfect girl/boyfriend-mother/father. Why?
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Do you like being challenged? How?
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Would you rather be rich or happy? Explain.
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Do you learn more when you win or when you lose?
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Tell me about your first love.
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What other cultures interest you? Why?
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What disease are you most afraid of?
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Have you ever been lied to? How did you feel?
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How can we stop gun related violence?
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Do you feel safe at school/work? Explain.
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Who do you think has had a tough life? Why?
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Whose life do you envy? Why?
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What do you think about marriage? Having children?
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Are you affected by violent TV shows and movies? How?
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What one thing would you do to make the world more peaceful?
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If you could share anything with your best friend, what would it be?
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If you saw your friend steal some money, what would you do?
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If you could do one thing to make the earth better, what would it be?
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If you get mad at someone at school/work, what do you do?
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If another student/worker threatened you physically, how would you react? Explain.
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If you saw a student/worker pull a knife and threaten someone, what would you do?
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Which of the following is the most important quality in a person? Good looks, sense of humor, loyalty, talent? Why?
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If you had to lose one of your senses, which would it be? Why?
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If you could write a book, what kind of book would it be?
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If you could go back in time and live in any other era, what would it be? Why?
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If you were with kids/adults who were .smoking, drinking, taking drugs.. what would you do?
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Has anyone ever really hurt your feelings by calling you a name? How did you respond?
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If you could sit down with the most powerful person I the world and give that person advice, what would it be?