Give Respect.
Acknowledge and support your children's struggle to grow to maturity.

Understand.
Try to sympathize with what your kids are going through. Remember that when you were their age, your ideas seemed to make sense to you.

Don't Lecture.
Kids respond to clear information and direction.

Don't Label.
The throwing of useless labels will only confuse the real issues that you wish to address.

Discuss Feelings.
Talk about what you, as a parent feel - and what you need. Allow your child to talk about his or her feelings too.

Create Responsibility.
Give you children choices, not orders. Help them to understand the consequences of their actions.

Positive Praise.
Describe your child's positive and negative behavior and how it affects others. Be specific and give praise to reward good behavior. Do this at least as often as you criticize behavior that you don't like.

Stop Hassling.
Asking your child too many questions only shuts off information. Give them the opportunity to volunteer their thoughts and feelings, while you show a sincere interest, without probing.

Use Team Work.
Work together with your child to lay out problems and find solutions.

The Key Issue.
You must tell your child that, NO MATTER WHAT, you will always love that child.