How arguing with your parents can be constructive:
Effective arguing acted as something of an inoculation against negative peer pressure. Kids who felt confident to express themselves to their parents also felt confident being honest with their friends. So, ironically the best thing parents can do is help their teenager argue more effectively. For this, [Joseph] Allen offers one word: listen. In the study, when parents listened to their kids, their kids listened back. They didn't necessarily always agree, he says. But if one or the other made a good point, they would acknowledge that point. "They weren't just trying to fight each other at every step and wear each other down. They were really trying to persuade the other person."
The Dish 