5 Essential Tips to Support Your Teenager’s Mental Health

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If you’re the parent of a teenager, helping them understand how to look after their mental health is a huge part of their growth and development. Being a teenager isn’t easy. You’re dealing with mood swings, body changes and periods. Coupled with stress or issues at school, your teenager may find it hard to manage their mental well-being.

As a Mother of two older children, I know exactly what it’s like to support your teenager through all the ups and downs of young life – and I want to pass all my hard-earned advice on to you!

In this blog post, I’ve put together 5 essential tips to support your teenager’s mental health. I hope you find an idea that works for you.

1. Let them come to you

Teenagers can be moody, rebellious and closed-off – and forcing them to talk to you won’t lead to anything productive. Supporting your teenager is all about letting them come to you. Open up a conversation and encourage them to speak to you about anything that’s on their mind.

It’s also important to create a safe space for your teenager. They may be exploring their first relationships, getting into trouble at school or finding it hard to manage their emotions. Knowing they can come to you for judgement-free support will make them more likely to open up – and less likely to shy away from important conversations.

It might take a while – which can be infuriating – but letting your child come to you will help you support your teenager through this turbulent and important time in their life.

2. Encourage self-care

Teenagers need to find ways to use self-care to support their mental health, particularly if they’re dealing with issues like exam stress or bullying.

There are lots of self-care activities for teenagers to try out, such as:

• Journalling
• Spending time in nature
• Prioritising sleep
• Meditating
• Practising mindfulness

Encourage teens to look out for their well-being by investing regular time in self-care.

3. Discuss coping strategies

If you want to support your teenager’s mental health, try discussing coping strategies with them. Teen mental health strategies include breathing exercises, connecting with loved ones and being kind to yourself.

You should also help your teenager understand how to create healthy boundaries. This can encourage them to take breaks from revision, limit time on social media or understand when it’s okay to say “no” to an opportunity.

4. Explore helpful resources

Charities like Young Minds provide plenty of helpful mental health resources for teenagers and young people – including guides for coping with bullying or identity issues, for example.

Looking into professional help for your teenager can also help them cope with any mental health concerns. You could encourage your child to speak to someone at school or you could explore online therapy options. Show your child that they have a strong support network to help them through this stage in their life.

5. Look after yourself

Looking after yourself is an essential part of supporting your teenager’s mental well-being. You need to invest in self-care – and understand how to support your own mental health. This might mean taking regular time for yourself or sharing parenting responsibilities with your partner.

By looking after yourself, you can provide the best support and advice for your child. This can be a very tough time for parents, so don’t forget to seek support, manage your stress and maintain strong relationships with the people in your life.

Do you have any tips for supporting your teenager’s mental health? Tell me all your thoughts in the comments!

Take care everyone x