Teens and Parenting
“No one prepared me for this”
“Why don’t they just listen to me?!”
“Why do they act like they are 4 sometimes and then act like they know everything the next minute?”
“What’s with all the mood swings?”
“Why are they mad at me all the time?”
These are questions that parents and teens ask all the time. Parenting today’s teens is so much different than how we were parented that there is a lot of trial and error involved. What we do know is that today’s generation of teens is much more interested in talking about how they feel and are not ashamed or stigmatized like previous generations. They embrace mental health as part of a healthy lifestyle and we are here for this!
Research shows that having 5-6 positive adult relationships can help kids develop positive mental health and coping strategies for life. Meeting with a therapist is a great way to accomplish this goal. Many times it helps to have another adult to talk to that isn’t your parent and isn’t going to get “mad” for talking about deeply personal issues.
It is also SO HELPFUL for parents to be in their own therapy, because PARENTING IS HARD. Every stage is a new set of challenges and joys to figure out. Having a neutral person to talk to about all of it is invaluable.
We are here to help! We love teens and we love parents. Book an appointment for your family today!
If you are a research nerd like us:
According to the CDC:
- “more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless”
- “nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health”
- “more than 1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered attempting suicide and 1 in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.”
These numbers can increase for teens who identify as LGBTQIA+
According to the Trevor Project, in Texas:
- 72% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety
- 59% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of depression
- 47% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
Tips to get started:
What to look out for?
Changes in behavior such as worsening grades, increased or decreased sleep, change in eating habits, loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, and risk taking behaviors such as interest in drugs or self harm.
What can you do as a parent to help?
Listen. Let your teen know it is safe to share with you about how they are feeling. Practice being kind and nonjudgmental when it comes to your teens mental health. Ask questions and check in. It can be hard to ask for help or admit you are struggling. Watch out for the signs and get help if needed.
Resources:
http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/perch/resources/info-for-parents-english.pdf (self harm)
https://mentalhealthliteracy.org/ (general mental health information)
NY Times Magazine 5/21/23 “How do you actually help a suicidal teen?”