Parental expectations should be kept reasonable. Decisions Mature appearance and behavior may be misleading. Parents should acknowledge that this is a time of frustration and depression for teens due to fears around facing adulthood, school pressures, social life, first time employment, and future planning. Opportunities for drug and liquor experimentation are common. Parental objective should be to get teens through this stage alive and intact.
Parents can also provide transportation with taxi fare or a close friend who is willing to help.
Once teens become sexually active, they remain sexually active. Parents should provide information on contraceptives and other sexual matters. If open communication is not possible, the teenager should at least be told where help can be found. Career choices can be difficult. Parents should help teens explore careers which are suited to them rather than careers which the parents wish they would pursue.