If they ask questions, they're listening. Teens said being treated like equals is important and it makes sense, as they are dealing with issues parents didn't have to face when they were teenagers. Sex is a big issue for younger kids. I went to high school in the '70s and there were drugs, but there wasn't the same pressure. Now is not a time for parents to clam up when they're asked about sex, drugs - or even worse, teens said.
Openness is really important.
Teenagers need to feel like they can talk to their parents. Teens said they are more likely to behave responsibly if they feel they are trusted to make the right decisions than if their parents are standing over their shoulder, dictating every move. In some cases, teens said they'll behave in order to keep the privileges that come with trust. Other times it's because, if they are setting their own standards, they'll want to stick to them out of self-respect. A lot of my friends do things they're not supposed to, but I don't.