Know Your Teenager's Friends and Encourage Rapport

Know Your Teenager's Friends

Another way of having good communication with your teen is to know their friends and to actively engage in discussing their social lives. Parenting your teen can be a lot easier if you know a few things:
1) where your teen is,
2) who they are with,
3) what they are doing and
4) when they will be home.

Communication is the key to knowing these things. All of those questions can be asked in a friendly but direct conversation. By communicating and knowing your teen's friends it shows you have an interest in your child. Some tips for having open communication about your teens friends follow:

* Ask your teens about their friends...what they like to do...where they work...who their boy and girl friends are.

* Encourage your daughter or son to invite their friends over to your house for movies, popcorn.

* Keep an address book or circle names in the phone book of your kids' friends names, telephone numbers and addresses. You may need them in an emergency.

* Call the parent(s) of youth who are throwing a party. Maybe you can help, and your concern can be reassuring to your child and the other parent.