Tips for Raising Happy, Healthy Teens

Source: https://www.parents.com/

Adolescence is a pivotal time for teens as they cultivate new skills and forge their identities daily in preparation for adulthood. Despite appearing independent, teens still require parental guidance to navigate challenges and acquire essential life skills. Providing opportunities for responsibility and independence fosters healthy habits that prepare teens for the future, while nurturing a strong parent-child relationship.

Steps on How to Raise Happy, Healthy Teens

Encourage Healthy Habits: Encourage teens to prioritize self-care by discussing its positive impact rather than imposing strict rules, which might lead to defensiveness. Focus on the benefits of nutrition, physical activity, and sleep to help them understand how these practices contribute to their overall well-being.

Diet and nutrition: Many adolescents often lack essential nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D. It’s recommended that teens obtain these nutrients through a balanced diet rather than supplements. Boys typically require around 2,800 calories daily, while girls need about 2,200, adjusted for age, size, and activity level. Educating teens on making nutrient-rich food choices is crucial, emphasizing health over weight concerns. Be mindful of potential eating disorders linked to body image issues during adolescence.

Physical activity: Teens should engage in about 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days, which helps elevate heart rate and breathing. If they aren’t interested in team sports, encourage activities they enjoy, such as daily walks, biking, indoor rock climbing, kayaking, martial arts, kickboxing, or yoga. Finding activities they genuinely like promotes physical fitness and overall well-being.

Sleep: Teens should aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Early school start times can disrupt their sleep patterns, making it challenging to achieve this goal. To help them get enough sleep, discourage naps after school, maintain a consistent sleep schedule even on weekends, and establish a bedtime routine that includes unwinding before bed. Additionally, limit electronic device use before bedtime and ensure they do not sleep with their phone in their bedroom to promote better sleep quality.

Health care provider visits: Teens can continue seeing their pediatrician until they turn 21. Common reasons for visits include managing acne, asthma, respiratory infections, and getting sports physicals. Pediatricians also monitor body mass index (BMI) and provide counseling on nutrition, physical activity, and sexual health, including testing for sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea, especially for sexually active teens. It’s crucial to allow teens private time with their pediatrician to discuss sensitive topics such as sex, sexuality, STDs, alcohol, and drug use.

Respect Their Socio-Emotional Journey: Teens commonly experience self-consciousness and may believe in an “imaginary audience” scrutinizing their actions, stemming from adolescent egocentrism. This phase involves teens perceiving that others constantly judge their appearance and behavior, such as changing outfits frequently before leaving school, which is typical teen behavior. Granting teens space while reassuring them of your support can strengthen your relationship.

Confidence and self-worth: During adolescence, many teens feel they don’t belong and are sensitive to criticism, as noted by psychologist Caroline Fulton. Their self-confidence often fluctuates during this period. Teens who find social situations challenging may face additional difficulties during adolescence. If your teen struggles socially, seeking professional help is advisable to prevent potential mental health issues stemming from loneliness and isolation.

Developing personal values and beliefs: During adolescence, teens start developing personal values and may engage in charitable activities or advocate for causes they believe in. This phase involves questioning their faith or exploring lifestyles different from their parents’. Psychologist Dr. Fulton emphasizes that teens are discovering their identity and beliefs independently from their family. Parents should support this process by giving teens space to express themselves while ensuring they fulfill responsibilities and maintain safe behavior.

Stress: Parents should monitor their teen’s stress levels closely, as academic pressures, social challenges, sports commitments, and future uncertainties can be overwhelming. It’s crucial to avoid over-scheduling your teen and teach them to identify signs of stress early on. Encourage healthy stress-management techniques like taking walks or talking to friends, to help them cope effectively.

Time with friends vs. family: It’s essential to balance your teen’s desire to socialize with friends by prioritizing family time. Establishing traditions like a monthly family fun night or weekly pizza night can help maintain connections. Sharing meals together regularly provides a valuable opportunity to bond with your teen on a daily basis.

Emphasize Safety: Teens’ impulsivity poses a significant safety risk, as one poor decision can derail their future. Dr. Fulton advises parents to establish and maintain clear, reasonable expectations. Enforcing consistent consequences, despite the difficulty, fosters a safe and predictable environment for teens to make positive choices.

Foster Independence: To prepare teens for independence, it’s crucial they learn household responsibilities like laundry and cooking. Dr. Reynolds emphasizes that granting privileges based on responsibility builds confidence in managing tasks and preparing for adulthood. By age 18, teens should handle personal hygiene, complete tasks efficiently, manage emotions, handle money wisely, navigate peer pressure, work effectively in jobs, and understand the consequences of sexual activity.

Letting them go: Support your teen’s individual interests, whether in music or sports, without imposing your own dreams on them. Dr. Fulton emphasizes preparing teens for adulthood by teaching them problem-solving skills and navigating complex situations independently.

Read More: https://childreninfobank.com/safebank/tips-for-raising-happy-healthy-teens/

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