If you are like me, there are days you may feel more like a taxi driver than a parent. It is amazing the amount of travel being a parent involves. And, if you are a parent of a younger teenager, it may feel like your shuttle service is open 24/7. While travel can be a frustrating part of every parent's life, it can also be a time of connecting and relationship building with your kid. 

Instead of killing time listening to the radio or catching up on cell phone calls, turn all that off and talk to your kids about their day, ask questions, have a conversation. If you are not use to silent travel, it may seem awkward at first, but you may find that travel times become one of the most productive times with your teenager.

If silence would be way to awkward for you and your student,  ask your kid to play their favorite song on the radio and ask them to explain why it is their favorite. 

If you are a "carpool parent," listening to the teenagers' conversation and, when appropriate, asking questions is a great way to connect with and understand a little more about their world.

  David Fraze, D. Min-Director of Student Ministries at Richland Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas