HIGH LIFE: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Advice: Better to Give Than It Is to Receive

Wouldn’t it be nice, at least once in a teen-age lifetime, to reverse roles with your parents? To be able to sit them down and give them the direction they so desperately need?

Hot Topics wonders: “What advice would you like to give your parents?”

“I would tell them not to worry so much about me and to put more trust in me. I am growing up and they have to let go of me sometime, although I know I will always be their baby.”

Julie Navarro, 15,

sophomore, Brea-Olinda

“I would like for my parents to work less and worry less about money, and to learn to spend more time with me and take more interest and involvement in my activities.”

Stephen Cheng, 15,

senior, Brea-Olinda

“Trust my judgment and have more confidence in me.”

Lisa Kribs, 15,

sophomore, Brea-Olinda

“Be more open-minded and understanding of new ideas and other people, and not to be so set in their ways.”

Hilary Shelly, 16,

junior, Brea-Olinda

“To be more respectful of my rights as a teen-ager, which include partying.”

Kevin Collins, 16,

junior, El Toro

“Not to make the same mistakes with my brothers and sisters as they did with me.”

Leslie Sweere, 17,

senior, El Toro

“To be more open-minded and not to judge other people before they get to know them.”

Mona Abdel-Baset, 17,

senior, Esperanza

“To start living life while they can, to the fullest extent they can.”

Liza Mostsinsker, 17,

senior, Esperanza

“To let their kids grow up on their own and let them make their own mistakes.”

Shelley Bartlett, 17,

senior, Esperanza

“Have more disciplinary rules. Also, in an argument they should allow their children to finish their story and not jump to conclusions.”

Alysha Straub, 16,

junior, Estancia

“To be fair to all the children in the family--that is, not to take sides and overprotect one child.”

Stephanie Le, 17,

senior, Estancia

“Please avoid using the phrase, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ ”

Marlo Naber, 17,

senior, Lutheran

“Give advice on decisions, not orders.”

Bryn Henderson, 17,

senior, Lutheran

“Please remember that your child is a person in her own right, with her own ideas, beliefs and knowledge of the world, and that she can make decisions--carefully thought-out, valid ones--based on those ideas, beliefs and knowledge.”

Jennifer Knigge, 16,

senior, Lutheran

“Give your kids room to prove themselves. Let them know that you trust them and love them. Please, as much as possible, talk with them instead of at them.”

Mary McKiernan, 17,

senior, Lutheran

“To chill out and not act so old-fashioned.”

Craig LaTourette, 15,

sophomore, Mission Viejo

“To not put on too much pressure but to just help motivate.”

Keirita Briesenick, 14,

freshman, Mission Viejo

“To strive for what they want to achieve.”

Lisa Montalvo, 15,

sophomore, Mission Viejo

“To relax and take life easier. They are stressed out too much.”

Blair Mathieson, 15,

sophomore, Mission Viejo

“Not to be so strict with me, just to check me a little. Know what I’m saying?”

Roxanne Rafael, 14,

freshman, Pacifica

“To let me grow up a little more.”

Jenny Savage, 17,

senior, Pacifica

“Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

Amy Smeathan, 16,

junior, San Clemente

“You can’t live through your children.”

Marya Nordenhock, 15,

junior, San Clemente

“I’d want my parents to know that I’d be there for them.”

Julie Warren, 17,

senior, Santa Ana

“To be more trusting and not so judgmental.”

David Layden, 17,

senior, Santa Ana

“I would tell my dad not work so hard. He is going to burn himself out trying to help our family.”

Greg Cooke, 18, senior,

Southern California Christian

“Not to let their problems get them down so much, and to relax and enjoy life more often.”

Kelly Sewell, 16, junior,

Southern California Christian

“Just continue your support, love and encouragement.”

Brian Jackson, 17,

senior, Troy

“Don’t make any promises you know you won’t keep.”

Monika Gosin, 16,

junior, Troy

“Not to get so stressed out over their jobs; that it’s OK to relax once in a while.”

Carrie Cowan, 17,

senior, Troy

“I realize that being a parent is a difficult job, and often, I see you both getting overworked and nervous for no apparent reasons. For health reasons, I would like you both to relax and not worry so much about your son.”

Indrajit Bavan, 17,

senior, University

“Put yourself in your child’s position when the times are tough.”

Nadia Davis, 17,

senior, Villa Park

“Let us have more freedom when we are 17 so that when we’re 18, we won’t go off the deep end with our newfound independence.”

Siobhan Pantoll, 17,

senior, Villa Park

“I would tell my mom to continue doing the best she can with the 6 of us. Even though she’s a pain 20 times a day, she’s a good mom and I love her.”

Roberta Flores, 16,

junior, Western

“Be more understanding and have an open mind about the things we kids do. Also, to accept us the way we are.”

Judy Park, 17,

junior, Western

“Think before they yell, and understand their child’s point of view.”

Thomas Colman, 15,

sophomore, Western

“Stop smothering me and be more liberal.”

Jason Teyra, 16,

sophomore, Western

Next Week’s Hot Topic: Almost everyone wants to be famous. What would you most like to be famous for?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Joanna Brooks, Angela Conner, Rachel De Velder, Melanie Fowler, Crystal Fu, Stacey Kimsey, Kyra Kirkwood, Joo Young Lee, Rebecca Leung, Jason Loeb, Tabetha Nakasone, Heather Orey, Hai Pham, Gabriel Saldivar, Cindy Shaver, Dawn Stone, Janet Stouder, Jana Swail and Laura Wadhams.