Your expectations of them and why. That you trust them to make the right decisions. That they have their whole lives ahead of them. How to listen to their gut instinct, and know that if it doesn’t feel right, they shouldn’t do it. It’s OK to say NO to something they don’t want. How to have fun and stay safe      What teenagers want their parents and guardians to know It helps us if you can be the calm in our storm and remind us you love us unconditionally. That making mistakes and experimenting is part of growing up and learning If we have done something wrong tell us off, but don’t go on and on about it Give us a chance to collect our thoughts and discuss things with you Remember the good things we do, do not just focus on the bad We need boundaries, we need you to say no sometimes and stick to it Give a valid response to our questions. If we understand the reason, it’s easier for us to respect it Encourage us to keep going, we like your approval (even if you think we don’t need it, we do). If you make a mistake, admit it – if you do wrong, apologise Be interested and present in our lives, but also respect our privacy Give us your time by listening and be patient with us Get to know our friends before you judge them Trust us, we need the freedom at times to figure things out on our own You are our role model – we are looking at you to help shape our lives and behaviour         What parents want teenagers to know We are interested in what is going on in your life and we want to be part of it We want to get to know your friends We also make mistakes Try to understand our values and the reasons why we do certain things Listen to our opinions and what we have to say. If you can’t talk to me/us, please talk to someone you trust Open and honest communication Believe us when we say we want what is best for you