The uncertainties from the first two years of the pandemic brought newfound fear and anxiety for families and individuals across the globe. Unfortunately, as a result, these harmful emotions and characteristics still linger within some of us today. Not only have adults been left with lingering fear and anxiety because of the pandemic, but adolescents […]
teens
Common Reasons For Unmotivated Teens and Ways Parents Can Help
“My son rarely showers,” “My daughter will be graduating soon and won’t look into colleges,” and “He never does his homework;” are common complaints that many parents share about their teens. While nearly all teens experience days when they’re less motivated than usual, there is usually an underlying reason for teens who are consistently apathetic […]
Ways To Navigate Through The Holidays With Peace And Hope
The holidays can be a hectic time for everyone, especially for parents who have kids that live at home. Along with the normal stress that the holidays can cause, circumstances such as busy work schedules, unemployment, illness, loss, and pandemic-related worries can make the holiday season even more difficult. Although each family’s situation is different, […]
Helping Kids and Teens Navigate This New School Year
The 2021/2022 school year is very different from prior years. Unlike last year, when many kids struggled with virtual learning, they are now adjusting to being back in the classroom after nearly a year and a half. New to this school year is different rules, mask mandates, pro-vaccine views vs. anti-vaccine views, a new variant […]
How to Help a Teen Who Has Become Socially Withdrawn
Parents sometimes worry because their teen has become socially withdrawn. They no longer want to leave the house or hang out with their friends. And in some cases, they don’t even want to do things with their own family. So, parents ask, “should I be concerned?” Many things can cause a socially withdrawn teen. Depression […]
What Parents Should Know About Online Friends and Cyberbullying
Over half of U.S. teens have made a friend online. Many of these online friends live thousands of miles apart, sometimes across the world. Although they may not meet in person, the friendships that they form can seem and become real. Cyberbullying is another thing that gets experienced by close to the same percentage of […]
How to Help Teens Who Are Suffering from Depression and Anxiety
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I have recently seen many kids who say they “feel stuck,” bored, “have no place to go or no one to turn to,” and “feel like they’re in a dark cloud and can’t get out.” These are signs of depression. Depression and anxiety are affecting an alarming amount […]
What Kids Need to Be Hearing from Their Parents Right Now
The thing that your kids (and teens) need the most right now is you. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or trusted adult relative or friend to a child or teen, you are more valuable and needed than you may realize. The pandemic has caused significant changes in most of our kids’ and teens’ lives. For […]
Ways to Make the Most Out of This Year’s Summer Break
After ending a school year cut short by a pandemic, summer break is starting for many. But, these next two months will likely not consist of the same types of vacations, summer camps, and other activities that you had initially planned on. If you’re a parent with school-aged kids, you may be wondering how you […]
How Social Media & Digital Technology Can Make Teens Feel Lonely
More than 90% of teens use social media daily. Eighty-one percent of these teens use social media to connect with friends, and one-fifth of teen social media users spend four or more hours on it each day [Pew Research Center study]. These stats do not include the amount of time that teens spend on video […]