How to navigate a difficult chat with your adolescent

When teens feel they can talk to non-judgmental parents about important topics they open up more. [iStockphoto]

Important conversations with teenagers are among the biggest challenges of parenting. They can feel like walking a tightrope. Lean too much - or too little - into commands and restrictions and you're likely to tip over.

In preparation for writing this article, I asked my daughter for her advice to parents of teens. Her response was that "teens can get frustrated if you don't listen properly, or say one thing but do another. Think about what you say long before you say it to a teen." Her intuition was surprisingly aligned with research findings (and I suspect it was a message from her to me as well).