“Listen to your children and never embarrass them. Be ready to extend support when needed.” —Nathan Danielle Francisco, 16

“Have regular and open communication. This is essential to us, as we need to have someone to always be there to listen. Parents should have a connection with their children, especially with us teens, who usually just keep problems to ourselves. Also, I just wish parents would be careful with their words, because whatever comes out directly hits our heart and sticks to our mind. So it’s no wonder why most prefer to open up to their peers instead. But we all know the best guidance would still come from our parents. Regardless of their busy schedule, we hope parents can find time to check up on us and get to really know us. We can be at the stage where we try to be on our own, but deep inside, we still need to hear how precious and loved we are no matter what.”
—Rhoda Claire Rivera, 17

“Be disciplinarians, but still make it possible for us to approach you when we have problems. It’s hard to talk to parents if you are scared of them.” —Monique, 16

“As time passes, it becomes clearer to me that I’ve been able to develop my own moral compass. Teenagers really do mature with age, whether we ourselves are aware of it at the time or not. I think the best thing parents can do for their children is to be communicative. Tell us what goes on in your day, with your friends, and your work. If you’re able to make it a comfortable environment, then we can share the same with you. We grow up with a foundation of trust and transparency, knowing when we make mistakes, when we accomplish something good, and who we can confide in.”
—Briana Nieva, 19

“The best thing parents can do for their kids is to lead them to Christ, always emphasizing the need to know Him more and showing them what He is like. More than just going to church, parents have to embody the loving character Jesus shows in the Bible, which they can only really do by understanding and knowing Him fully. Parents can never really satisfy all the needs of a kid, because like all people, we really are imperfect and limited. The best they can do is at least point their kids to the one who is perfect, and do so by embodying His values. It’s more than just being a good parent. It’s about reflecting the kind of love God shows to His children.” —John Lagac, 19

“I wish parents would support their children and let them discover their passions and pursue the their interests instead of forcing them to go into a career they don’t really care about. I think that we would perform better if we cared about what we were studying.” —Liz, 17

“Learn to listen. Don’t play favorites… or at least don’t make it obvious.” —Steph C., 15

“Have some time for yourself. It helps when your child sees that aside from being a parent, you also have healthy interactions with your grown-up friends. This is something that he/she can emulate later. —Ino Pamaran, 18

“Parents should teach their kids well, because once they go to college they probably won’t ask them for help anymore. You have to teach them to be polite, to respect other people, and also to stand up for themselves.”
—Carmelo Pamaran, 14

“Parents should learn to be tough but fair to their child. They should set their boundaries of what the child can get away with and what they should not be able to get away with. Parents should respect their child’s decisions and be supportive, and offer guidance, but disagree if necessary.”
—Matteo Pamaran, 13 INQ