The importance of family relationships and friendships for young people

When trying to communicate with your teenager, it may sometimes seem as if they're speaking another language – one full of slang words and phrases you’ve never heard of. Our Teenagers’ Language Guide will help you decipher teen slang so you can have better communication with your child.

It can be hard for a teenage girl to chat to her mum – or anyone – about a sensitive issue. A mother daughter private code may help her talk when she’s feeling awkward or unhappy.

Convincing kids that it's worth devoting time and effort to schoolwork can be a major source of tension. Here, a mother, Jennifer, and her daughters, Emily and Samantha*, give their views on a typical mother-daughter struggle over homework – showing how understanding other people’s points of view in family disputes can reduce anger and upset on all sides.

Sometimes it can seem that there’s a world of difference between your own experiences growing up and your child’s. But just because you grew up in a less digital age, it doesn’t mean your experiences are completely different. It’s the way situations and discoveries make your child feel, rather than specific details that are important. 

We're sure you could list three things you find beautiful about your best friend – but could you do the same for yourself? Watch our video and use our action checklist to explore why we’re so hard on ourselves when it comes to compliments.

In this Q&A with Terri Apter, psychologist and author of You Don’t Really Know Me: Why Mothers and Daughters Fight and How Both Can Win, we look at issues within family relationships that can have a big impact on your child's self-esteem.

From changing her nappies and pushing her buggy to collecting her from school or teaching her how to cook, today’s fathers tend to be more involved than ever in their daughters' upbringing. Some dads, however, back off as their daughter grows up – but when it comes to encouraging positive body confidence, they may be needed at this stage more than ever.