Consider the psychology of sharing—how maintaining a relationship is complicated because now two parties must manage a working commonality between them.

Specifically, consider two powerful sharing skills that parents can teach their teenagers: cooperation (working together) and communication (exchanging information.)

Such actions that may seem simple for parents can become more difficult for their teenager. Thus it can help to appreciate the increasing complexity.

With the onset of adolescence, a young person can become more self-centered to focus on coming-of-age challenges, and less disclosing to protect one’s growing life apart. Cooperative and communicative sharing can suffer on both counts, so parents need to encourage their continuation. Consider the importance of each.

Family life can teach valuable lessons about working together and contributing effort for the family good. Now mutual sharing becomes an ongoing joint responsibility. At the same time, four common sharing complaints........

© Psychology Today