what are good conversation-openers for talking to (late) teens please?

[SlightlyFoxed]

am new to this board - teenagers are more than a decade away for me! am single mum but have met new man who has teenage children - practically adult really, boy 19 and girl 17/18. Am due to meet them soon.

I wasn't much good at talking to teenagers when I was one myself so would welcome any pointers on easy ways to get chatting without sounding like aged aunt please.

all I have at the back of my mind are questions about school / uni and exams. or asking what sort of music they like, but that would be a dead end as I know nowt about music.

thank you!

[PositiveAttitude]

You don't need to speak to these people as "teenagers", just talk as you would when meeting anyone for the first time. Just relax and be yourself. It may be good to know what hobbies they enjoy before hand, so that you could throw in a "Your dad tells me you like......" You don't need to like it too, but it would show you have been interested in them as people.

Don't forget they are probably more nervous meeting you than you are at meeting them!

Good luck.

[Spannerweb]

You know what? I?d avoid talking or asking about Uni, exams or music like the plague!!! Don?t come out with anything that you think may strike a chord with them because the chances are, they?ll see right through it and not want to respond at all.

Personally, I would say very little and let them do the talking. A pleasant hello and brief introduction should suffice and then leave it pretty much up to them. The less you talk or seem anxious to want to get talking to them, the more relaxed they will feel around you.

Keep a VERY clear distance from them and just be yourself when you do get the opportunity to start nattering.

[SlightlyFoxed]

great advice, thank you!

[mumblechum]

Speak to them as adults.

Don't ask them about Uni etc, my son always hates the fact that the first thing adults ask him is how's school etc.

Just try to relax and let the conversation flow naturally.

[juneybean]

Don't ask if they have girlfriends/boyfriends haha

[SlightlyFoxed]

oh god you are bringing back my teens - terrible questions from aunts and uncles, always either "how's school?" or "do you have a boyfriend?" arrgh. need to think back more to my 17 yo self, that will probably help as well - thanks again.