Teen Challenges in 2015 and How to Help Them Face Them – Part II
So we were discussing what could possibly bother your teens this year and how to help them overcome these challenges. In the last part of the post, we covered some of the most common issues that teens in US are facing. In this post, we’d share some of the other challenges and talk about some measures to help them focus better on better stuff in life.
Depression and anxiety
It’s a no-brainer – depression and anxiety have taken their toll on way too many adolescents and even adults in US. Blame it on the societal pressure or our inability to vent out our own insecurities and fears but depression can seriously damage your teens and it needs to be taken way too seriously. It’s unsettling that at any given time, 10 to 15% of children/teens are depressed.
Expression of Identity
Now this could be rather complex and equally disturbing. Homosexual, bisexual and transgender teens often deal with trauma when they try to express their identity to their parents or society. They are often mocked at for being different and oftentimes parents fail to come up with an appropriate reaction. Shockingly, 40% of the America’s homeless youth are LGBT kids. Other stats say that 82% of LGBT youth have been bullied due to their sexual orientation.
Relationships
Teens might not be discussing all their problems with parents. In fact, recent stats indicate that around 51% of teens are afraid of talking to their parents about personal problems. And not just with their parents, teens today have more relationship issues than before. In US alone, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year and that’s quite alarming.
How you can help your teens
Parents need to adapt to the changing teen concerns and parenting styles. If you are a buttoned-up, old-school parent, chances are that your teens could be going through a lot. Observe them closely and if they seem to be withdrawn, discreet and less vocal, there is definitely something wrong. As we already discussed that being a helicopter parent won’t help much so you need to sit with them and talk it out like friends. After you know what’s bothering them, you could try some healthy activities and use smart parenting tools to help your teens better connect with society.
Enrolling them in Yoga classes
It could be fun, challenging and very beneficial for your kids. If they could squeeze some time in their weekly routine, you could get them enrolled in a yoga class. It will help them focus and bring their mind and body in a harmony.
Keep family time on priority
Busy schedules, business trips and household chores drive away all the energy, but parents need to put a little more effort to spend quality time with their family. Plan frequent picnics and dine-outs with your kids and try not to behave and sound like parents. Open up and wear your playful attitude. Trust me it will put your kids at ease with you and help you age slowly!
Take interest in their activities and friends
When they come and tell you about crazy day they had at the slumber party at their friend’s, don’t just listen with occasional aha’s and oh’s; rather show interest in what they did and ask questions but not the inquisitive ones of course!
Adopt smart parental controls
Instead of nagging them constantly about their whereabouts and ETAs, try some parental control app that would let you know where your kids are. These apps actually connect parents and kids more closely because the kids could have a look at your location, too and you could assign them tasks and reward points. So it could be a fun app for you and your teens that would still put in you in control at the same time!
