Participating in sports helps teens' confidence levels, making some teens more talkative.
Your teen babbles on the phone late into the night, but appears quiet and more reserved in large social groups. Teenagers have varying speaking styles and some may be more verbally expressive than others. Some teens are the life of the party while others prefer to sit back and listen. Genetic, environmental and nurturing factors all play a part in how talkative your teen is.
Personality
Your teenager might happily strike up a conversation with a small group of friends, but prefer doing something solo quite often, and isn't all that thrilled about going to the party of the year. While an introvert is often misunderstood as being quiet, shy or not a people person, this characteristic is more about energy. Your introverted teen typically likes to spend quiet time on her own or with one or two friends to recharge from within. On the other hand, extroverts draw energy from large social groups, connecting to others, and are often the life of the party. Aspen Education Group notes that introversion and extroversion are stable personality traits that are strongly influenced by genetics. Extroverts are almost three times as common as introverts.
Environment
Your family dynamic and your home environment can also influence how talkative your teenager is. Families that encourage children to express their feelings, voice their opinions and engage in discussion and banter are more likely to develop outspoken teenagers. Cornell University Extension notes that your parenting style is important in nurturing your teen's speaking style. More authoritarian parents who need control and speak for their children may limit how much teens speak at school and even with friends. A more encouraging parenting style can positively influence teens to open up and share their thoughts and views in a mature manner.
Self-Esteem
Confident teens tend to be more talkative and can also discuss matters in mature, healthy ways, without getting upset or frustrated. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation notes that confidence stems from self-esteem. This means that your teen likes who he is. A positive or high self-esteem helps your teen feel worthy, even if he doesn't do well on a test, score a goal or get invited to the birthday party of a popular kid. Low self-esteem is damaging to your teen's confidence levels and makes it harder for him to bounce back from negative experiences. Tell your child that it's OK to feel dumb sometimes, or to wish he was more athletic, but this doesn't mean that he is not intelligent or gifted in his own way.
Shyness
Some teenagers are less talkative because they have shy personalities. This can cause anxiety and fear about speaking in public, or even with someone they don't know very well. Psychologist Dr. Jann Gumbiner writes on the Psychology Today website that shy people may use defense mechanisms to hide their shyness such as avoiding social scenes and large groups of people. If your teen's shyness is making her withdraw and avoid talking and socializing, encourage her to talk to friends in a safe environment, such as might be formed by having a slumber party at home. Help her cope with her shyness by participating in extracurricular activities such as a book club or volunteering in a soup kitchen.
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