DEAR ABBY: My parents do not listen to anything I have to say. They think my problems are not as important as theirs. I try to tell them what's going on in my life, but they don't hear me. Because of this, I no longer tell my parents anything. I tell my best friend and her mother. My friend's mom listens to my problems and helps me handle them -- no matter how small they are.
My parents do not know anything about me. They never will, until they decide to listen to what I have to say.
My advice to all parents is to LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN. It's not that hard. Your kids just might have important "secrets" you know nothing about because you didn't take the time to listen. -- A TEEN NEEDING TO TALK IN OHIO
DEAR TEEN: Sociologists and psychologists have interviewed teen-agers about their concerns, and a subject that is mentioned again and again is the fact that some parents are too busy or preoccupied to listen. I have received many letters from other teen-agers that contain the same message as yours. They wants parents who will listen and at least let them explain. Kids desperately need to be understood and to have parents who will stand beside them, not over them.