Both parents need to stay connected, but only 20 percent of teenagers report spending time each day with their father. To connect with your child, you need a detailed grasp of your child's world. Without this background, you can't ask the specific questions that lead to meaningful responses. Find a parent who knows all the school gossip and keep your ears open. Ask good questions and listen carefully to your child's answers before jumping in with your own thoughts.
Kids are most open when they're side by side with parents, doing an activity together.
Pay attention to school. Grades five through nine are the time when learning either takes off or nose-dives. Only about 1 in 5 has had any undergraduate training in teaching young adolescents. Teachers' importance can't be overestimated. According to a 1997 national survey by University of Minnesota researchers, a caring relationship with a teacher is the single biggest predictor of young people's success in school.