The ability to understand. Well that could be true but it could also be taken in diff way. I mean some parents (no offence) are usually in denial when its suggested that there kids are facing stuff that they may not have come accross in life yet. Parents, well most of them, think that they have already gone through everything that their kids have, and that may not always be true, so they should keep that in mind. And while its understandable that parents do face the task of living live, having a job, and etc., you have to devote time and undertanding to ur kid because we make mistakes and also you cant expect us to get everything right the first time. But communication remains the bottom line :P