Some comments and advice from teens:
- My dad never appreciated my drama classes because they weren't academic enough. But at the time it was the most important class to me. I remember really wanting him to understand that. - A.S., Fremont, Calif.- I didn't appreciate the value of an education until I had to work in a warehouse for low wages. I quickly realized that I didn't want to do this for the rest of my life. This experience has motivated me to take school more seriously. It was more effective than any pep talk about school that I had heard from my teachers and parents. - Brian, Tempe, Ariz.
- If I could start over again with my stepmother and stepsisters, I would be more tolerant, less defensive and have fewer expectations. I'd realize sooner that this blended family is permanent instead of hoping it would go away. - Aaron, Niles, Calif.
- Listen when we need to talk to you, even if it's something you don't want to hear. - Aileen, Fremont, Calif.
- Teen appreciate advance notice of plans and family obligations just as adults do. We have schedules, too. Learning about an afternoon visit to a relative's house two hours before we leave shows us no courtesy - the same kind of courtesy parents often ask us for. - Amy, Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Keep your mind open. Just because it's something you never did or experienced, doesn't mean that it's wrong. - Anonymous.
- When I began dating, my mom told me to "always treat your girlfriend the same way that you would want your sister to be treated by her boyfriend." Without moralizing or going into great detail, my mother was able communicate some important standards with this statement. - Mike, San Francisco, Calif.