Tips for Parents:
How to Relate to Your Teen

• Pay attention to what they do in and out of school. Praise their actions when you can. Tell them why you are proud of them.
• Try to listen as much as you talk. Ask questions to learn why your teen feels the way they do. Then use their answers to help solve any problems.
• Talk to your teen more as an equal than as a child. Avoid shouting and giving lectures. Be calm and teach your teen how to fix a problem.
• You may not like your teen’s friends. But before keeping them from the group, ask yourself if your teen is being hurt or causing harm by hanging out with them. Telling them they can’t spend time with their friends may cause a conflict.
• Set fair rules. Explain them, and then enforce them. For instance, if your teen comes home late this weekend, tell them they cannot go out next weekend.