“Let’s sit down and have a chat.”

While plenty of us love the opportunity to have a chinwag, for teens who’ve been invited to confide in a parent, chances are they’ll close up like a clam.

But talking is important – it’s how we connect, it’s how we ease the burden when something’s weighing heavily on us, and after the conversations sparked by Netflix’s Adolescence this year, as well teachers noting a worrying rise in misogyny and polarising gender views online, it’s perhaps never been more important.

Dads are feeling huge pressure to help their sons open up about their feelings, according to Joseph Conway, psychotherapist and mental health trainer at Vita Health Group.

But these conversations might not come naturally, particularly for those who didn’t grow up with male role models showing vulnerability themselves.

How to get your son to open up

This International Men’s Day (19 Nov), Conway is urging dads to rethink how they communicate with their sons, and has revealed one simple yet powerful shift that can help boys feel at ease and more comfortable sharing.

Instead of inviting them to sit down and talk face-to-face, which he said rarely works in helping kids and young people open up, Conway suggested a simple switch-up to “side-by-side talking”.

He said: “Pick an activity they enjoy, such as football, baking, crafting, or gaming, to create a safe-space for conversation.

“Shared activities give boys room to open up without feeling scrutinised, or having the intensity of........

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