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Your Emotional Health
Do you control
your emotions or do they control you?
Teenagers with
good emotional health are in control of their thoughts, feelings
and behaviours.
They feel positive
about themselves and have good relationships.
They can keep
their problems in perspective.
They have both
self-awareness and self-control.
Teenage years can be a difficult
time. Teens may feel overwhelmed by the emotional and physical
changes they are going through. At the same time, teens may be
facing a number of pressures - from friends to fit in and from
parents and other adults to do well in school, or activities like
sports or part-time jobs.
The teenage years are a time of
transition from childhood into adulthood. Teens often struggle
with being dependent on their parents while having a strong desire
to be independent. They may experiment with new values, ideas,
hairstyles and clothing as they try to define who they are.
Although this may be uncomfortable for parents, it is a normal
part of being a teenager.
What Can I Do to Help My Teen?
Communicating your love for your
child is the single most important thing you can do. Children
decide how they feel about themselves in large part by how their
parents react to them. It is also important to communicate your
values and to set expectations and limits, such as insisting on
honesty, self-control and respect for others, while still allowing
teenagers to have their own space.
Parents of teens often find
themselves noticing only the problems, and they may get in the
habit of giving mostly negative feedback and criticism. Although
teens need feedback, they respond better when it is given
positively and spoken with love.
Praising appropriate behavior can
help your teen feel a sense of accomplishment and reinforce your
family's values. |