PAPITO Dad Guides
Raising teens
The hard conversations, made a little easier: mental health, bullying, LGBTQ+ questions, dating and sex, drugs and driving. Every resource here is official or from a recognized national organization.
If your teen is in crisis, get help now
- Immediate danger: call 911.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat online. Free, 24/7, for teens and for parents worried about them.
- Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741.
- LGBTQ+ young people: The Trevor Project, call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678.
Talking so they'll talk back
Teens open up in side-by-side moments: driving, cooking, a late snack. Your job is less lecture, more listening.
What to know
- Short, regular check-ins beat one big talk.
- Stay calm when they share something hard. How you react decides whether they tell you next time.
- Ask open questions, then wait through the silence.
- Admit what you don't know and offer to find out together.
Things you can say
- “What was the best and worst part of today?”
- “I'm not going to freak out. I just want to understand.”
- “You can always call me for a ride, no questions that night. We'll talk the next day.”
Official help and information
This guide is general information for parents, not medical, legal or mental-health advice. For your teen's situation, talk with your pediatrician or a licensed professional. Phone numbers were checked in October 2026; services can change, so confirm on each official site. PAPITO isn't affiliated with these organizations.