Whenever you see those red and blue police lights flashing behind you on the freeway, you can be certain they’re not pulling you over to say, “Hey, great job driving!”

As parents, it’s easy to come off like highway patrol officers. We flag our teens down whenever they step out of line or make a wrong move.

Of course, it’s important to instruct and guide our teens. But if they feel like we’re always watching and waiting to jump on their next mistake, our relationships are going to suffer.

Are you policing your teen? The next time you sit down to talk with him, try communicating love instead of judgment. Your teen needs you to be a parent, not a police officer.

If you listen on a mobile phone or tablet, please download our Parenting Today’s Teens app available for Apple or Android. If you listen on a desktop or laptop computer, press the “play” button above to enjoy daily parenting advice.