4 Things Parents Can do to Ensure Their Teenager is Happier

It's no secret that raising a teenager can be tricky. Between the mood swings and challenging attitude, it sometimes feels like nothing you do is right. One day you feel like you've got this parenting thing figured out, and the next day you can't wait for the day to end because you can do nothing right. Parenting is the most important and can be the most rewarding job in the world....until it's not. But don't worry, you're not alone! Here are four things that will help ensure your teenager is happier more times than they're not!

Show Them Trust and Allow Them to Make Decisions

It's never easy to let go, but encouraging your teen's independence is essential in helping them grow into responsible adults. One way to do this is by allowing them to make some of their own decisions. I used to call it letting them take age-appropriate risks. This doesn't mean giving them free rein to do whatever they want - instead, it's about trusting them to make intelligent choices and being there to support them if things don't go as planned. Of course, setting clear boundaries and expectations is important, but giving teens room to explore and make mistakes is essential to their development. I'm sure my kids hate some of my "dad sayings," but they were necessary (at least to me). One of my favourite lines was, "I trust you until you give me a reason not to." I think I have a pretty good BS detector, so if I felt I was not getting the entire truth, I'd use that line and often, they'd recant their story. Trust and knowing you have their backs are important for kids and parents. 

 So next time your teen comes to you with a decision they need to make, take a deep breath and let them take the lead. It might be daunting, but it's one of the best ways to help them develop into confident, independent young adults.

Teaching Them About Emotional Awareness

As a parent, one of the hardest things to watch is your child struggling and not knowing how to help. You see them trying to cope with their stress and emotions in unhealthy ways, and you want to intervene, but you're not sure how. Processing feelings and emotions is a skill that must be learned, and it can be taught. Start by encouraging your teen to become more aware of their emotions. The hard part for us maybe we were taught to suppress our emotions and feelings, so does that qualify us to talk about them? Perhaps not, but you can access resources like the How Are You Feeling program. The program will help them to identify when they're feeling stressed, angry, sad, etc. Once they can identify their emotions, they can start to learn how to deal with them in healthy ways. Processing feelings is not always easy, but it's an essential skill that will benefit your teen in the long run.

Just Being There is the Most Important Thing

As a parent, one of the most important things you can do for your teen is to be there for them. This doesn't always mean having all the answers, but it does mean being open to communication and being a trusted source of support. Listening is better than always trying to fix the issue. You can encourage open communication by letting your teen know that you're always open to talking about whatever is on their mind, no matter how big or small it may seem. Building trust is also essential; let your teen know that you're always on their side and that you'll support them no matter what. Just by being there for your teen, you can make a world of difference in their life. These steps encourage open communication because it's hard to repair when communication breaks down. Here's a rule I try to follow, listen and keep listening. Silence isn't always a bad thing.

Encouraging Healthy Habits

When it comes to happiness, there's more to it than just smiling and having fun. Studies have shown that practicing healthy habits like eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep can promote happiness and wellbeing. And that's especially true for teenagers. As they navigate the ups and downs of adolescence, managing their screen time, social media use and academic workloads, it's crucial that they also take care of their physical and mental health. By making healthy habits a priority, teens can set themselves up for success both now and in the future. Managing phone and social media use may not be a popular decision at the moment, but your teens will likely be happier as a byproduct.

Conclusion

It's not easy being a teenager. Between raging hormones, social pressures and academic demands, it can feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help your teen make it through these challenging years. But what if there was something you could do to help them deal with their emotions and stress healthily? Turns out there is. The How are you feeling program can help your teen learn how to cope with their mood swings and stresses constructively. It will serve them well for the rest of their lives. And best of all, it's free. So why not sign up your moody teenager today and tell them to bring a friend or two?