At a glance
- Parental monitoring and communication can help keep young people healthy and safe.
- Schools and local education agencies have resources to promote parenting practices that can help parents and families.
Parental monitoring
Parental monitoring refers to parental knowledge of adolescents’ whereabouts, companions, and activities. Parental monitoring also involves enforcement of rules, particularly about friends and dating.
Learn More
CDC | Parental Monitoring. This web page outlines action steps for parents to monitor their teens.
Parent-adolescent communication
Parent-adolescent communication should be characterized by the following:
- Ongoing, open, and honest.
- Equally initiated by both parents and adolescents.
- Acknowledging each person's attitudes and values.
- Reflective of an authoritative parenting style (that is, providing emotional support while also enforcing high standards).
- Mutually satisfying.
Learn More
CDC | Talking With Your Teens About Sex. This web page outlines action steps for parents to talk with their teens about sex.
Resources
Schools and local education agencies have resources to share with parents and families—to promote helpful parenting practices.
Resources about these topics should address both knowledge and skills. Specifically, information should include:
- Key definitions and explanations of the concept(s).
- A brief summary of the concept's benefits, as well as challenges to success and potential solutions.
- Action steps for parents to strengthen the practice.
More resources on parental monitoring and communication are listed below.
Positive parenting
- CDC | Positive Parental Practices. This web page has an overview of positive parenting practices that can help adolescents make healthy choices.
- CDC | What Fathers Can Do. This web page outlines action steps for fathers—related to positive parenting practices.
Developing communication materials
- CDC | Gateway to Health Communication. This resource outlines best practices for health communications.
- CDC | Everyday Words for Public Health Communication. This resource offers plain language advice for health communications.
- World Health Organization | Communicating for Health: Strategic Framework for Effective Communications. This resource outlines best practices for health communications.