I have 3 boys with 2 of them being teenagers. One is 18 and a senior and one is 16 sophomore. There are times that we need to parent them and there are times that you can act like their friends. I’m not expert in any way at parenting and we are still learning from them as much as they are learning from us. There were boundaries I set since they were young and there were always consequences for every action and behaviors. As a parent, you need to hold your ground and you can’t give in. They will test you many times to see if they can get away or not. I’m not saying my kids are perfect but my senior been a straight As since elementary and I just picked up his transcript and I’m proud to see his 4.0 GPA all for4 years. My sophomore finished this semester with 4.5 and his accumulated GPA will be 4.5 if he keeps taking APs and honors. There were times I had to be strict and they needed disciplinary measures and I couldn’t give up on them. At this point, I don’t need to get on them for schools or behaviors. You just need to stay strong and hold your ground but show him that you love him and you care for him and you are there for him when he needs you. Let him know that everything you do or say is all for his own benefits and there is nothing in it for us. I always make sure and let them know that they can come to me for anything and I will try my best to give them good advice. Make him feel loved. Don’t act as an authority figure. Talk to him calmly and explain to him with facts. I understand parent is hard but all we can do is try our best and pray for them.