Use this page to share your tips and stories with other parents! To submit something, just e-mail LKort@cssu.org.

At CY's most recent "Dialogue Night" at CVU, we asked the parents to write down a few suggestions for other parents to keep in mind while dealing with some of the issues that might come up. Here are some "Pearls of Wisdom" from them:

• Listen more than you speak
• Remain calm and positive
• Have faith that your teenager really will grow up and be a responsible, caring human being.
• Use humor to start a conversation and break barriers.
• Believe in the author- not their stories.
• You have to separate the youth from their natural inclination to weave yours.
• Love them
• Be persistent: it really does sink in over time
• Plan family activities. Go skiing, take a hike or vacation, go to the movies. Plan them and do them.
• Be yourself, get involved, be supportive and be a good listener.
• Show that you care by doing things with them.

For more tips, try these resources recommended by the pros:

• A Tribe Apart, by Patricia Herdi
• Character First, by Joseph Gauld
• The Hyde School Difference
• Real Boys, by William Pollack
• Field Guide to the American Teenager
• Our Last Best Shot
• Remember that you can always call your school guidance counselors with questions about your child's growth and development!