Helping Teens Manage Their Emotions

It is rarely argued that being a teenager is difficult, both for teens and their parents. Raging hormones lead to raging emotions, so a teenager who is happy one minute may be a wreck the next. Here are a few tips for parents to help your teen harness emotions and stress.

Give Them Your Ear: Keep lines of communication open with your teen. Don't expect them to come to you first about problems or issues they are dealing with (you may be surprised, though, how often they come to you second). Let them know that you are available, that you are a good listener, and that you can give fair advice. Allow them to express concerns and emotions, and be sure not to discount their feelings. A problem that may seem silly to you is anything but to a teenager.

Give Them a Break: Give them time to do their own thing. Whether it be hanging out at the mall, chatting with friends online, or plugging in to their iPod, allow them some downtime to relax and just be a kid. This helps them become independent, responsible for themselves, and build valuable social skills. Keep in mind, though, the dangers that sometimes come with online communications. Make sure you know your teen's passwords for sites such as MySpace and Facebook. This doesn't mean you need to snoop (your teen does deserve some privacy), but keep them in case a safety issue arises.

Give Them An Out: An outlet, that is. Being a teen is stressful, keeping up with grades and dealing with peer pressure while still trying to fit in can take its toll on a teenager. It's important to give them a way to manage their stress. Sports are a good way to get exercise and spend energy while learning about team work and good sportsmanship. Music and art are great for self-expression, and writing in a journal is a constructive way to get feelings out without worrying about judgment from others.

Give Them Some Rest: A routine is important, especially for teens. Their bodies are growing at such enormous rates that they need even more food and sleep than ever before. Be sure they are in bed at a decent hour so that they get the rest they need. This may mean placing a time limit on the phone, or putting a block on the computer after a certain time at night. Provide healthy, high energy snacks for your teen to eat between meals, such as fruit, yogurt or granola bars. Keep in mind that, when your teenage son says he's hungry, he probably is.

These are just a few of the ways that you as a parent can help your teen manage his or her emotions. Take heart in knowing that it is just a phase, that they won't be a teen forever, and that their hormones will even out eventually. Until then, give them the support and experiences that they need in order to become responsible, stable adults.