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We all worry about how to communicate with our children. We hear people talking about the "generation gap" and think how do I get past that? It is especially hard for younger parents to handle, mostly because some are still trying to figure out who they are.
The biggest mistake younger parents make is trying to be friends with their kids first and parents second. This will work for a few years, but eventually it will come back to bite you. There has to be a healthy balance between discipline and friendship. You have to know when to lay down the law and when to camp out in your back yard.

The worst thing you can do is talk down to your children. You have to remember what it was like growing up, how unsure you were of yourself and how scary it can be to just go to school everyday. Make sure you are there to listen to your child when they come home from school and have had their world shattered by someone they thought was their friend. Never make light of their latest crisis, because to them the world has just come to an end. Listen, talk to and comfort them. Once your children realize that you are there to support them and encourage them as well as to discipline them and guide them they won't see you as the enemy. Well, not all the time anyway.
The more you communicate with your children and treat them with respect and love, the smaller the generation gap will get. Keep in mind that a healthy relationship with your children takes lots of work and love.

Learn more about this author, Kendall Smith.
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