How to Confront Your Son or Daughter About Their Poetry

Poetry

It's something every parent fears. It's something you never thought would happen to your kid. Sure, you've seen it in movies and on television. But in your own house? It's a scary thought. What you need to realize, however, is that there is a right and a wrong way to talk to your children about their poetry. It's important to maintain a calm and comfortable atmosphere. Let's take a look at the healthiest ways to confront your children if you ever catch them writing poetry.

1. Try to understand
Your first reaction might be to freak out and respond with anger. Don't. Understand that, while it's natural for your children to experiment with poetry at some point in their life, the problem will not go away on its own. Start an open dialogue. Make sure your child is comfortable talking with you in an open and honest way. Ask them exactly how much poetry they've written and find out why.


"Poetry, no matter the form you find your child writing, is a desperate cry for help"



2. Take it seriously
Don't overreact but don't under react. Poetry, no matter the form you find your child writing, is a desperate cry for help that needs to be nipped at the bud. Have you ever read happy poetry? That's what I thought.

3. Stand your ground
Your son or daughter has probably been peer pressured into trying poetry by some of their "creative" friends, so at first they may seem stubborn about stopping. Explain to them that poetry is a gateway form of emotional expression that leads to harder outlets of "art", such as acoustic guitar and abstract-surrealist painting. Make it a house rule: no poetry.

4. Find a healthy alternative
Introduce your child to a healthier outlet for entertainment, such as television, movies, or contact sports. If you can show them that there is more to life than emotional expression, you will be teaching them an important life lesson. By not addressing the issue early on, you're encouraging them to create an identity based on their inner self rather than to build an ideal personality through monetary gain and superficial friendships.




-DJG