Sometimes the most important conversations are the most difficult to have. When it comes to sensitive issues such as body image, drug use, peer pressure, sex and depression, many parents aren't sure how to talk to their teens.

Between the ages of 9 and 18, kids experience significant physical, emotional and cognitive changes. It’s a stressful time for both teen and parent. KING 5 brings together a panel of teens and tweens from six local schools to gain insights into the youth of our Northwest.

This new HealthLink special addresses the subjects kids care about most, from their perspective.

More than half of American teens have tried illicit drugs by the time they finish high school. Our Northwest kids report alarming examples of drugs in the schools – seeing kids doing drugs and selling drugs.  One teen summed it up: “You can wake up one morning and say yeah, I’m gonna try pot today, or I’m gonna do ecstasy today…it can happen just like that.”

A new analysis of the sexual practices of 15- to 19-year-olds found 50 percent of teens have engaged in sexual intercourse. Talking with Teens and Tweens (Healthy Answers to Tough Questions) tells us what teens know, what they need to know and how to have "the talk" with them.

When Jean Enersen asked the teen panel how many of them had helped a friend who was struggling with suicidal thoughts, nearly everyone raised their hand.

Teens say communication is critical. "What worked for me and my friend was just sitting there for a couple of hours and letting her talk and letting her say what was so bad that she felt she didn't have to live anymore, you know," said one.

MySpace.com and Facebook are high tech hang-outs where kids post personal details about their lives. With one click on the popular Web sites, hundreds of friends can check it out - and so can strangers. It’s a “disconnect,” and it is very disconcerting. Parents are looking for recommendations and support in dealing with this new phenomenon.

Through candid conversations with both teens and tweens, we find out what they are dealing with on a daily basis, and how parents can help them make their way through an often confusing time.