I graduated from high school in 1993. She graduated from high school in 2014. And nothing is the same for teenagers right now.  Bonita Barnett, M.A., QMHP is my cousin and she is currently a middle school counselor on Chicago's North Side.  I asked her to share some tips as to how we can relate to and support our teenagers in current times.  We talk about the things we couldn't do or say in our own family (you'll hear the laughs) and what a difference we could make if we just listened. This is a good one. You can read the rest of her bio below.  

Bonita Barnett, M.A., QMHP, Obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology & Sociology from Tennessee State University. She recently graduated from Adler University in Chicago, IL where she received her Master’s of Arts in Counseling with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling. Currently is a Middle School Counselor on the North Side of Chicago. Her passion with working with children and adolescents began with her volunteering as a Girl Scout Leader. Her long term aspiration is to become a School Psychologist to continue to help students specifically students of color break down barriers and overcome adversities within the school system and in society. She is a strong believer of giving back to her community and providing children with the same great resources she had growing up on the South Side.