There is a lot of talk, especially lately, about the importance of keeping the lines of communication open with our kids. But that is so much easier said than done. It’s not that we don’t want to talk with each other; it’s that we don’t know how - and we don’t know when. Everyone is so busy. We put it off until we find just the right time and that time never seems to come. Or what passes for real communication is some variation of,

 

"How was your day?"

 

"Fine"

 

"Good"

 

We can do better than this. The remarks below were written by real kids. Try discussing one with your child. Talk about the issue on the page. The goal is not to have the same opinion. It is to get to know one another better and to give voice to teens who too often keep their feelings to themselves.