For a parent, knowing one's children are safe, happy and emotionally sound is a concern. A parent would want to be the first to know if their child is being traumatized by something at school or worse. Persontoperson communication is important for a child to feel able to confide in his or her parents.

Often, however, parents don't listen to their children as equals and inadvertently break the lines of communication.

"Children don't seem to get as much respect as other members of society," said Julie Scandora, teacher and author of the book "Rules Are Rules."

"They experience the same emotional obstacles as adults, but this is often overlooked by grown-ups," she said

Scandora gives the following tips to help parents communicate more effectively with their kids:

•Listen. It sounds obvious, but if children don't think they will be heard, they won't come to their parents with their questions or problems.

•Create opportunities for interaction. Families spend so much time apart these days. Use "car time" as a time to communicate with each other.

•Lead by example. Far too many parents opt for the "Do as I say, not as I do" method. This sends mixed messages to children regarding important situations.

•Respect the child's intuition. If children are encouraged to trust their gut feelings, they will be able to heed their intuition in dicey situations where a parent is not around to help.

•Don't confuse respect with giving in. It's important that the parental role isn't usurped. Don't give in to children just to diffuse a problematic situation.

Instead, communicate with them and let them know why rules are rules.