Report

for
Project Work
Topic: Communication
problem between
parent and child

Done by: Javier Lim, Yip Kang Wei, Dominic

Lim, Neo Yu Xuan, Tham Ye Yang
 Content Page

1. Overview of project
2. Background
information
3. Survey Questions
4. Survey Results
5. Survey Analysis
6. Schedule for Project
7. Solution
8. Conclusion
9. Sources
 Overview of the project

The topic of our project is about the communications

problem between teenagers and parent in this modern
society. We decided to touch on this topic as this problem
is not only a very well known and common problem in this
modern society, it will be bad for the teenager to grow up
with their parents with such a huge barrier between them.
Some of us may have even experience this problem and it
just sour and destroy the relationship between the
teenagers and problems.

In this project, we are going to attempt to find the

reason why this problem arises between teenagers
and their parents and hence try to find a solution or
an advice for those families.

1
 Background Information
Firstly, we have found lots of information on the Internet
on why do parents and teenagers have this barrier called
“communication gap” which sours their relationship. One
of the few reasons are, parents do not fully understand their
kids and when this happens, when the teenagers needs to
talk to their parent but they can’t. This main reasons points
to the typical, dangerous gap between the parent’s
experiences and attitude and their teens. This
communication problem or gap is dangerous as parents will
have to communicate with their teens at some point during
the most important and informative years of their lives.
This happens as parents do not know how to communicate
openly and honestly with their kids about various issues in
a manner their kids feel comfortable.
Secondly, another main reason to which the communication
problem arises is that the parents do not know what the best
way to deal with teenager rebellion is and how to treat
teenagers in the right way. Most of the parents lack the
most important thing, PATIENCE. Whenever the teenager
did something wrong in the parents view, parents will
immediately confront them but this communication method
will probably never work, it will only give the teenager an
opportunity to test their will and strength. Teenagers are
undergoing an stage where they try to learn how to be an
adult after knowing how to be a children. The only way to
learn how to be an adult is through trail and error as they
mature, exploring the edges. Parents have to be patient and
forgiving, they need to be firm but fair to the teenagers,
treat them as an adult but yet protect them. The worst is to
yell at the teenagers as it will only teaches them to yell
back at you.

When a child gets addicted to computer games, and breaks

the house rules. It is probably best that the parents talks to
the children and help them kick the addiction, bringing
them closer to you.

Some basic tips on improving the communication problems

between teenagers and parents.

1. Try not to talk down your teens. Make them feel as if

their views and opinions really count and that they
matters.
2. Put yourself in their shoes and think how it will be
like to be a teen.
 3. Be empathic about your teen’s predicament at all
times. Never make negative remarks on what your
teen has done.
4. Don’t ignore your teen’s emotion and feeling as it is
usually a cry for help.

1
 Survey Questions

Instructions 1: Please kindly complete all questions.

2: Please be as honest and detailed as possible
3: There is no need to write down your particulars
4: Please specify for open-ended questions and
others

Survey on communication problems between

parent and teenagers. (Parent’s survey)

Question 1) How much leisure time do you spend with your children?

A: 15-30 minutes

B: 30-60 minutes

C: More than an hour

D: less than 15 minutes

Others: _______________

Question 2) Does your teenage child approach you when they have
problems?

A: Often

B: Sometimes
 C: When necessary 3
D: Rarely

E: Others: _______________

Question 3) Does your teenage child thinks that you are rather outdated?

A: Yes

B: No

C: Others: ________________

Question 4) Do you think you understand your children?

A: Very well

B: Quite well

C: Not really

D: Barely

E: Others: _______________

Question 5) What do you think are the causes for communication problems
between you and your child, if there are any?

Answer: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
 3
Survey on communication problems between
parent and teenagers (Teenagers Survey)

Question 1) How often do you talk with your parents?

A: Often

B: Sometimes

C: When necessary

D: Rarely

E: Others: _______________

Question 2) Do you often quarrel with your parents?

A: Rarely

B: When necessary

C: Sometimes

D: Often

E: Others: _______________

Question 3) If so, what are the reason(s) why you quarrel with them?

Answer: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Question 4) How much leisure time do you spend with your parents per day?
 A: 15-30 minutes 3
B: 30-60 minutes

C: > 1hr

D: < 15 minutes

E: Others: _______________

Question 5) If so, what are the reason(s) you do not spend leisure time your
parents.

Answer: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Question 6) If you were to spend leisure time with your parents, what would
you want to do?

Answer: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

3
 Survey results

Parents’ survey results (option E was not chosen at all)

Question 1) How much leisure time do you spend with your children?

A: 15-30 minutes (32%)

B: 30-60 minutes (16%)
C: < 1 hour (12%)
D: > 15 minutes (40%)

Question 2) Does your teenage child approach you when they have
problems?

A: Often (16%)
B: Sometimes (20%)
C: When necessary(36%)
D: Rarely (28%)

Question 3) Does your teenage child thinks that you are rather outdated?

A: Yes (64%)
B: No (36%)

Question 4) Do you think you understand your children?

A: Very well (16%)

B: Quite well (24%)
C: Not really (40%)
D: Barely (20%)

Question 5) What do you think are the causes for communication problems
between you and your child?

Answer: Generation gap and Parents busy with work.

4
Teenager’s survey results (option E was not chosen at all)
Question 1) How often do you talk with your parents?

A: Often (36%)
B: Sometimes (12%)
C: When necessary (8%)
D: Rarely (44%)

Question 2) Do you often quarrel with your parents?

A: Rarely (24%)
B: When necessary (20%)
C: Sometimes (20%)
D: Often (36%)

Question 3) If so, what are the reason(s) why you quarrel with them?

Answer: Serious misunderstandings, School work, bad mood, not enough

time to use the computer.

Question 4) How much leisure time do you spend with your parents per day?

A: 15-30 min (28%)

B: 30-60 min (24%)
C: < 1 hour (8%)
D: > 15 min (40%)

Question 5) If so, what are the reason(s) you do not spend leisure time with
your parents.

Answer: Find it a waste of time, parents busy with work and addiction to
computer games.

Question 6) If you were to spend leisure time with your, what would you
want to do.

Answer: Watch movies, outdoor activities, have a chat together and to play
board games. 4
 Survey Analysis

From question 1 of the parents’ survey, we can infer that more parents spend
lesser leisure time with their teenage child. Only a minority of the parents,
who spends more than an hour of leisure with their teenage child, finds that
bonding, as a family is essential. However, the majority, who spend lesser
leisure time with their teenage child, might not find family bonding
essential, but that other sources of communication problem could also cause
this problem.

From question 2 of the parents’ survey, we can infer that when majority
teenager are faced with a problem, they only approach their parents when
necessary. This probably means that when they are left with no choice or
when the problem is pertained to money, then they will approach their
parents. Otherwise, there are quite a number of teenagers, who rarely
approach their parents with problems, as their problem could be too
personal.

From question 3 of the parents’ survey, we can infer that most of the
teenagers find their parents rather outdated. I can say that it is quite common
for the parents and the teenage child to have a generation gap because
nowadays technology is advancing rapidly. Whether it is through the hand
phone or the computer, there bound to be some communication problems.

From question 4 of the parents’ survey, we can infer that majority of the
parents do not really understand their teenage child. If one would casually
ask the parents question 4, they would of course say they know their child
very well. However, after the parents answer above question, they would
realize they actually do not really not them so well.

From question 5 of the parents’ survey, we can infer that the common causes
are generation gap or that the parents are too busy with their work. It is
apparently true as some parents work so hard, that often neglect their
teenage child. It is also quite common for them to have the generation gap
problem as explained in the analysis of question 3. 5
From question 1 of the teenagers’ survey, we can infer that the relationship
between the parent and the teenage child is either good of very bad. There
are quite a number of teenagers who often talk or communicate with their
parents, whether they are having a chat or solving a problem. However, there
are even more teenagers who choose to bottle up their feelings and problems
within themselves.

From question 2 of the teenagers’ survey, we can infer that most of the
teenagers often quarrel with their parents. This is probably the reason for
them to have communication problems between them. However, there bound
to be reasons why the teenager to quarrel with his or her parents in the first
place. Those reasons would be the very source of this problem.

From question 3 of the teenagers’ survey, we can infer that the reasons that
the teenage child would quarrel with their parents are that they have a
serious misunderstanding, the teenage child has lots of school work, that
they have mood swings and that they do not enough time to use the
computer.

From question 4 of the teenagers’ survey, we can infer that more teenager
spend lesser leisure time with their parents. This same problem is met in the
analysis of the parents’ survey 1st question. That majority of the teenagers
find it a waste of time or that it is occupied by other activities.

From question 5 of the teenagers’ survey, we can infer that the reason they
do not spend leisure time with their parents is that they find it a waste of
time, that their parents are busy at work and that they are addicted to
computer games.

Question 6 would be fully analyzed at the solution section of the report

5
 Schedule for Project

Term 2 week 1: - Outline of schedule

- Background information

Term 2 week 2: - Discussion of survey questions

- Update on background information

Term 2 week 3: - Official survey questions

- Collating of all background information

Term 2 week 4: - Survey half of targeted audience

- Skeleton of report

Term 2 week 5: - Survey the other half of targeted audience

- Introduction of report

Term 2 week 6: - Collating of all survey results

Term 2 week 7: - 30-50% of report: Background information and survey

questions

Term 2 week 8: - 50-70% of report: Survey results and analysis

Term 2 week 9: - 70-85% of report: Solution

Term 2 week 10: - 85-100% of report: Conclusion

6
 Solution

After giving much thoughts, considerations, analysis of the situation and

surveying of the people, I am glad to say that we came up with a solution.

The reason why there is a communication problem between parents and

teenagers is mainly because they quarrel with each other. And the reason for
that are such as serious misunderstandings, about studies at school, mood
swings for the teenage child and problems pertaining to computer games.
So, in order to solve this communication problem, we must solve the above
reasons first.

For serious misunderstandings, the best way to solve it is to sit down

together and discuss about the problem. To make it even more effective,
they should have someone, who does not know of the misunderstandings, to
sit together and his objective view, which is not likely to be biased.

For problem about studies at school, it is only natural for the parents to get
very worried about it. So obviously, the only to solve it is to concentrate and
do well in one’s study. However, one does not need to score very well, but
most importantly, to do their best.

For teenagers to have mood swings, it is not unusual as it is just part of one’s
growth. So sometimes, parents could try to understand their teenage child’s
feelings and also not to give them too much stress. These actions suppress
such mood swings to the minimum.

For problems pertaining to computer games, this is also a very common

problem. Obviously, the problem is about the teenage child playing too
much computer games. However, the parents also should not too strict about
it, it could make things worse instead.

After solving all the above problems, it is still not enough. Although the
parent and child would not quarrel so often but their communication 7
between them needs to be improved and that their bond as a family needs to
be strengthen. So, there is no better way than for the parent and teenage
child to spend leisure time together. They can do activities such as to watch
movies, play outdoor activities, have a chat or even to play board games.

Watching movies is a good idea as it is made for the enjoyment of any kind
of people of any age. One can definitely find a movie that one likes, whether
it is a horror, comedy, action or thriller. There are also movies specially
made for a family, as it shows a certain family problem of theme. So, there
is bound to be a show where the whole family can enjoy.

Outdoor activities are also a fun way to bond as a family. It can also help the
family to keep fit. It also gives the opportunity for the teenage child of the
family to challenge and overpower the capabilities of their parents in sports.
The parents could also take this chance to slim down and keep fit.

Having a chat is one of the easiest ways to strengthen the family’s bond and
to improve the communication within a family. Whether it is to chat
casually, or talk about that day’s happenings or to solve a certain problem. It
is definitely to the advantage of the whole family

Playing board games is also a fun family activity. Actually, board games are
made for the fun of families and friends. So, it is absolutely a great idea for
the family to sit together and play a board game.

Lastly, in order to strengthen the family bond and to solve the

communication problem between parent and child, they definitely have to
put effort to fork out their time for these family activities. Therefore, parents
have to close the generation gap between their teenage child and take out
some time from their busy work schedule. The teenage child should also
make it an effort to exchange some time playing computer game with time
for the family activities. So, if both parent and child could put in their utmost
effort, they could get rid of this communication problem between them.

7
 Conclusion

After all our hard work and effort put in this research project, we are very
glad to say that we are able to conclude that the communication problems
between are avoidable and are able to be solved if the correct method is
applied.

Firstly, the reasons to which why communication problems arise is mostly

because parents do not understand their kids well and do not know the
correct method to educate and communicate with them. Actually, the parents
need to be firm but fair to their kids to make them really understand where
their parents are coming from.

Secondly, parents must put their kids as their first priority and spent more
quality time with them to bring them closer to you, and bring yourself closer
to their world.

Thirdly, in most cases, both the parents and teens hopes to have a better
relationship with each other but just could not find the right way to make
that happened. They starts to lose their patience when things did not happen
the way they wanted and it makes things get worse.

In a nutshell, parents and child need more understanding between each other,
PATIENCE, and most importantly “quality time” with each other to bring
each other closer to communicate better.