Positive Parenting

for Your Anxious Teen

Teen anxiety is skyrocketing, and parents need help and support to find positive relief, for their anxious Teen, themselves and their family.

It all starts with you, the parent – the champion and guide for your child – who has grown into a teen. It is not always an easy path, yet there are calmingly effective Light Lessons aplenty for you and your Teen.

Positive Parenting for the Anxious Teen

  • Positive Critique for Your Anxious Teen

I dealt with these issues in a previous blog – but I am addressing them again, specifically for the Teen in your family – in your life.

A Parent’s positive response and positive critique is essential in your relationship with your Teen. Many parents are already leading a busy-full life. But there is always time  – it’s as if Time suddenly opens up for you in little pockets of genuine interaction between you and your Teen. A helpful tip – put away your digital device > Time opens up much faster and easier!

  • Positive Parenting Preparation for Your Anxious Teen

 Prepare. Have a little list of positive things you can say about your Teen – to your Teen.

Then approach your Teen quietly and assuredly. Remind and let your Teen know that he/she is valued, significant, worthwhile. You don’t lay it on thick. Just be authentic. It is from here that your Teen begins to layer confidence within.

In due course, encourage your Teen that he/she can accomplish whatever they set their minds to – and help them set up a plan to do so. A Teen’s sense of worth can be a fragile thing, especially when mood swings and teenage drama upset them. Your Teen is going to make mistakes, maybe even do something foolish. Remember that we all went through this. Patience and support go a long way towards helping your Teen make a good choice – the next time.

  • A Reassuring & Supportive Attitude for Your Anxious Teen

Sometimes a parent feels that their Teen has his/her head in the clouds… dreaming the impossible dream. This is a good time to take special note of your Teen’s brain.

The Pre-Frontal Cortex of children and Teens is still a work very much in progress. As a matter of fact, it is not fully developed until approximately age 25! That means that your Teen’s logic, judgement, and communication abilities are not in full working order.

  • Easy-Please-y Positive Parenting for Your Anxious Teen

It is most helpful to respond to your Teen in a relaxed, easy-going manner. This will also relieve stress between parent and Teen, making family relationships smoother… and… your Teen will feel like you, the parent, has his/her back.

 Body – Mind – Soul

  • Exercise Alleviates Teen Anxiety

 Exercise is the most important and valuable activity a teenager can do, because it does much more than build muscles. It also releases chemicals in the brain that improve mood and relaxation. Also, it tires-out the muscles so there is not such tension and holding-on to the anxiety.

  • Healthy Nutrition = Healthy Body & Healthy Mind

It is paramount to keep the Teen body in healthy working order. Nutrition may be quite a challenge, as junk-food snacks are so readily available. Supporting a healthy diet for your Teen keeps the heart, lungs and muscles healthy, and the body can withstand the strain of anxiety much more easily. In turn, the Teen can participate in exercise and activities more comfortably. All of this keeps the brain in good working order. And another benefit is that improves the Teen’s self-image.

  • Participating in Activities & Events Reduces Anxiety

Yes, it may be a challenge to get your socially anxious Teen to join a club or organization. This is when communicating with your Teen may reveal the kernels of something he/she is passionate about… something to try. Whether it’s a sport, game (cards, chess – not digital screen games), animal related, or a creative activity (arts/music) it can spark inspiration within your Teen. And it allows for social contacts with others who share the same interests. Your Teen will feel more purpose-ful and positive.

  • Limit Digital Screen Time for Your Anxious Teen

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, overused digital screen time definitely contributes to Teen anxiety, by overstimulating the nervous system.

See Dr. Victoria Dunkley’s book and videos: Reset Your Child’s Brain – a 4 week plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time.

  • Breathing and Meditation Relieve Anxiety

When a Teen can learn to control his/her breathing in a deep and meditative way, it opens the door to amazing benefits. For one thing, they get time to themselves. It also teaches them an inner discipline that is  so valuable in helping them be successful in other areas. In addition, it is soooo relaxing! It truly can melt away stress.

  • Keeping a Diary or Journal Provides a Productive Outlet for Anxiety

Writing can assist your Teen in understanding the inner self. His/her beliefs – even if they are fleeting – begin to have shape and form, limits and no limits. Using a journaling book with inspirational quotes is a powerful way to help your Teen get started – and allow the writing to take on a positive life of its own. Very often, negative beliefs appear on the page and the Teen is abruptly aware of wanting to choose: to pivot to positive beliefs. It is a private, intuitive way to alleviate stress and anxiety.

Anxiety Moving from Dark to Light

When I began writing this blog about Teen Anxiety, the statistics and descriptions felt so dark – and depressing. I hope that you stuck with it and have discovered – remembered – that there are ways to ensure that your Teen has positive and supportive family relations. There are healthy means of expression and release for their minds and bodies and souls.

Your Teen deserves to feel in control – and so do you. Anxiety is a normal part of life. It is all about how you and your Teen respond to it. Using and practicing more and more positive ideas helps to shine your Light – to help your Teens shine their Light. Their Light is in there – it just needs some patient, loving, polishing! Let it shine!

LIGHT ON!