What Parents of Teens Can Do:

• Allow minor victories: allow them to make some of their own choices as long as the choices don’t harm their health or hurt their future.
  
• Expect some mistakes due to immaturity and inexperience.
  
• Help the teen to "save face": make suggestions they can use to avoid mistakes in the future.
  
• Praise and encourage effort and achievement. Don’t use shame or comparisons.
  
• Support healthy relationships. Don’t tolerate rudeness from teens or their friends.
  
• Draw the line and boundaries clearly. If teen snaps at a parent, the parent can say: "If you had a bad day, just say so. I have bad days, too."