This is the second in a series of blogs about parent-child connectedness.

Recent research from eight African countries surveyed adolescents to learn rates of different high-risk behaviors, including sex at an early age.

Researchers discovered that 27.3% had experienced sexual debut before age 15. Boys and girls with sexual debut at younger than age 15 were more likely to report alcohol, tobacco and drug use, truancy, poor parental- or guardian-connectedness, sedentary behavior, having been in a physical fight and receiving a serious injury.

This is the first in a series of blogs about parental connectedness. "Parental connectedness" is a term researchers often use when talking about kids and the risks that they face. So what does it mean to you and me?

Today's kids face a ton of risks. Their choices are tough, including issues like drugs and other substances, teenage pregnancy, and what to look at on the Internet. The temptations for kids can be overwhelming. So, parents keep asking themselves, "What can I do to help my child make smart choices?"

The answer? You can do quite a lot!

We hear people often say that their kids "just don’t listen.” But did you ever wonder why they might not be listening?

Take a personal inventory of the way you and your child interact. Does your family typically use any of the following approaches?