Make conversations honest, open and respectful. Use situations on television if you need an excuse for the conversation. Supervise your adolescents. Establish rules, curfews and standards of behavior. Know your children's friends and their families.
Friends have a strong influence on each other.
Help your children become friends with families who share your values. Discourage early, frequent and steady dating. Group activities are fine, but steady, one on-one dating before 16 can lead to trouble. Take a stand against allowing your children to date a much older person. Older guys seem glamorous to young girls.