Rather than launching into what you think the teen needs to improve upon, begin your conversation with positive feedback. Focusing on the positive at the outset, instead of the negative, will help your teen be more receptive to the constructive criticism that follows.For example, you can say, “Anna, I think you are doing a really great job making your art and music lessons a priority.”

, Once you’ve given your teen some positive feedback related to the situation, let them know your thoughts on how they can improve their performance or behavior. Be honest, but not overly critical or mean with your feedback.


Try saying, “Since you’re devoting so much time to art and music, I notice your grades are slipping. We need to work together to bring that D in chemistry up to a passing grade.”

, After you’ve given your teen criticism, it’s important to remind them again of the positive work they are accomplishing socially, emotionally, artistically, or academically. This will help remind the teen of all the great things they have been accomplishing and can even boost self esteem.You can end by saying, “While you need to work on your chemistry grade, I was really excited to see you got a B on your English paper, Anna! You should be really proud of yourself for working so hard on it and earning an awesome grade!”
Begin with a positive statement.
Sandwich constructive criticism between two positive statements.
End with another positive statement.
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