Children and teens needs to feel heard and understood just as much as adults. With teens it is particularly important to listen more than speak in order to give them time to be understood. When parents do decide to speak, it can be most helpful to relate and empathize instead of teach or criticize.
All parents want to protect their children and give their children better than they were given. The challenge to each parent is to balance the need to protect their child from the world with the need to prepare them to face it on their own.
In order to remain approachable, parents must be physically present: dinners as a family, run errands together, pick them up from school or soccer practice whenever possible. Be around; be curious while trying to avoid prying. 