TEENAGERS
Raising a teenager can be confusing, stressful and full of uncertainty!
You may question your parenting skills and wonder if you are doing more harm than good. No parenting manual has ALL the answers just as there is no book on “How to be a Perfect Teenager.” Take a deep breath and believe that you are not alone. We all make mistakes with our kids, but the important thing is to remain supportive, patient, and understanding.
Being a teenager has its challenges too!
Modern technology has introduced social media and ‘all things electronic’ to the forefront, and no one is immune to the lure of ‘being connected’ and ‘a part of.’ Our teens feel the pressures of staying online with social apps, knowing what is going on, as well as the need to feel they belong. To standout, to be or feel different, can cause relationship problems at school, home and with their friends.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
E. E. Cummings
Life doesn’t happen overnight. It can be hard to see changes. They can just slip past us and become part of the foundation of who we are. Missing the changes in your teenager is not a reason to find fault in yourself or them. Be patient because no one else may see what you see. Just move forward in love and compassion.
Why? How? What?
Slowly your teenager, maybe without even knowing why, will start to experience thoughts like:
- All my friends are rejecting me.
- Everyone is talking about me.
- I am not good enough to be a part of that group.
- I will never amount to anything.
- No one loves or understands me.
Without knowing how to talk about these thoughts, your teenager may begin to believe them and start to experience feelings of:
- Low Self-Worth / Self-Respect
- Abandonment / Being All Alone
- Despair / Hopelessness
- Anxiety / Stress
- Depression / Gloom
- Shyness / Timid
- Frustration / Anger
Without the right coping skills, your teenager might start to act out by:
- Isolating – quitting fun activities, friends, family
- Mood changes
- Self-harming, suicidal thoughts
- Outbursts of anger
- Abusing food or substances
It is a huge world for teenagers to feel ‘as if they don’t belong’ and may begin to retreat into their own private space, to isolate and hide away from life and all the uncertainties.
Yes, kids need their space, but they also need their parents’ support and open-mindedness to listen and help them navigate the perils of the teenage years.
If you are out of practice in listening and talking to your teenager, then believe that they are just as rusty and unable to start up the conversations. Life and all that you and your teen are dealing with makes finding the time difficult. BUT not impossible!
Since you are here, it means that you care very much for your teenager. That you want what is best for them. That means a lot!!
I work with teenagers building relationships based on mutual respect and trust and help find new ways to cope with life situations that are healthier. Our thoughts and perspectives are not always accurate so our feelings and actions may be negative and harmful to our happiness. I create a space that is safe and non-judgmental to allow teenagers to feel comfortable and willing to express themselves openly.
I would love to help your teenager find the way out of their quiet isolation and learn to face the world with strength and self-confidence. I offer my viewpoints, even if they do not agree with your teenager, to allow them to come to conclusions that help them make positive changes in life. They learn healthy coping skills that allow unexpected events to be faced head-on with self-assurance. Life becomes calmer, more manageable and less stressful for all.
The time is NOW…
Now is the time for you both to agree on finding a solution that opens the future to so many positive and happy life opportunities. Call me at 470-955-6081 to start your teen’s journey to self-understanding and acceptance.