The Best Time for Talking to Teens Is at Night—Here’s Why

If nighttime is when your teen wants to open up, it’s probably best to take advantage of that. The teen years are all about meeting your teen where they are, whatever that looks like, says Dr. Lea Lis, a child and family psychiatrist.

Lis suggests using these nighttime moments to connect more deeply with your teen. She says that the best way to do that is to allow them to take the reins. These nighttime sessions—or any of the moments when your teen is willing to sit and chat—aren’t the best time to hammer them with questions.

“Let your teen guide the conversation, rather than going into the interaction with an agenda,” says Lis.