They face new pressures at school and socially. 2 Your Teen’s World To communicate effectively with your teen about alcohol, cannabis, and other risks, it helps to understand how these changes affect their world. As a teen learns more about themselves and the world around them, they can often feel alone. While teens strive for independence, it’s a parent’s job to be there to guide and support them as they discover the challenges of this life. It’s important to honor their thoughts and experiences as an individual, while providing insight and wisdom from your own. A teen may assume, “no one has ever felt the way I feel.” Because a teen feels unique, if a parent says, “I know how you feel,” the teen may reject this as impossible. Instead of forcing advice on an unreceptive teen, acknowledge their feelings and let them know you respect their perspective. Explain that, as their parent, you care about their well- being and want to have an open The changes teens go through affect how they think about alcohol, cannabis and other substances, driving, and getting into cars with friends who drive impaired.
conversation with them about their experiences and challenges.
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