Parents are the closest people to you in the world. They love you just because who you’re. And they would do anything for you.

Like a lot of middle school students, Zhang Li has a problem. She and her parents don’t get on well. “I really want to be my daddy’s good girl. But it seems he just doesn’t understand. He talks to me but doesn’t listen to me,” said Zhang Li, a student from Grade Three.

Do you and your parents also have problems?

Well, why don’t you take a walk and have a walk on Saturday? May 15 is International Day of families (国际家庭日). On that day, people around the world give thanks for good things about families and work on family problems.

A study last year showed that 1500 Beijing families had the same problem as Zhang’s family. The children, 12 to 15 years old, didn’t like talking with their parents much. They weren’t happy at home. Of course, lots of other children feel that way. But you and your parents will be much happier if you can be friends.

Here are some ways to have a good talk with your parents: find a good time to talk, like when you’re eating dinner, going out for a walk or watching TV. Tell them something you’re interested in, or ask them about their lives when they were young. They love to talk about that! Listen to them carefully, and look at them in the eyes. Be honest, and your parents will trust you more. And a trusting family is a happy family.