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Are you looking for ways to help your teens stay out of trouble? Teenagers are undoubtedly going through one of the toughest phases in their lives. It is a time of substantial hormonal development and drastic routine changes that can overwhelm a person at that age. Therefore, these are times when they need attention, love, care, and support from those who they trust and love.
Statistics from Mental Health America shed light on just how difficult life can be for teenagers. The numbers show that slightly more than 15% of teenagers confess to suffering from at least one major episode of depression. At the same time, 10.6% say they are coping with severe major depression. These are troubling statistics, and in states like Wyoming, the rates of acute major depression go as high as 14.8%.
Depression is one of the primary reasons why teens get into trouble. So, as a parent or guardian, how do you protect them from the dangers they face? Here are a few tips that can help:
1. Address the issue of drugs first
Depression can lead teens to consume harmful substances as a coping mechanism, so it is important to tackle the growing menace of legal and illegal drug abuse. If you are a parent to a teenager diagnosed with anxiety or depression, it is common to be prescribed medications that are FDA approved. However, certain drug manufacturers or medical practitioners fail to disclose any side effects that the medicine may have.
In such cases, parents and guardians can file dangerous drug lawsuits to get compensation or other remedies from the prescribing or manufacturing entity. This is an important avenue to explore when trying to protect your kid. Simultaneously, keeping an eye on the type of friends your kid is hanging out with is crucial because being in the wrong company most often leads to illegal substance abuse too.
Acting before it’s too late is important, particularly with mentally disturbed teenagers. As they say, it is better to be safe than sorry.
2. Indulge your children in creative activities
One of the most effective ways to keep teenagers out of trouble is to encourage them to participate in creative, healthy activities. The age bracket of a teenager, i.e., between 13 and 19, is a time when many changes occur not just within the body but in external circumstances like education. For some kids, these shifts can be overwhelming.
Therefore, you must ensure their minds are in the right place. Work with them using love and support rather than forcefulness. Start by understanding where their interests lie. Is it art, music, sports, traveling, reading, or anything else they enjoy? Stand by them as they explore these fields as a hobby or profession. Let them carve their way forward.
3. Help them create a vision board
Because teens place whatever they seek in front of them, vision boards are excellent instruments for inspiration. Although some kids like to utilize Pinterest for their vision boards, it is more effective to print images and words, or cutting them from newspapers is generally the best option. This creative, colorful mood board can assist them in focusing their energies toward the right avenues.
You can also make this a collective activity where you can interact with them, get them to open up about their feelings, and even share if they are going through a troubling situation at school or in the neighborhood. A vision board works well in keeping your teenagers on track and helping them stay out of trouble.
4. Put certain boundaries in place
Teenagers are still kids who are growing up and learning more and more about the world around them. They don’t always understand what they are getting themselves into. For many, this point may not feel appropriate, but when kids reach a certain age, they come to appreciate that the boundaries and rules they were made to follow shaped their life for the better.
This doesn’t mean putting unreasonable restrictions because that will only turn your child rebellious. Ensure your teenager understands why the boundary is in place and that it is for their betterment and safety. You will also need to follow the boundaries you set strictly.
5. Facilitate them in countering negative energies
Every human being is different, but one thing they all have in common is building up negative energies. It can be anger, frustration, uneasiness, or even envy. When it comes to teenagers, emotions can undermine logic in most circumstances. Also, since there are a lot of hormonal changes happening during this age bracket, anger is a common emotion, and in many cases, it can rule over all decisions.
You wouldn’t want this to become a norm because, over time, this response becomes a habit unless you do something about it. Make sure you assist them in shaping their negative energies into positive ones so that the response that they give is also in accordance. One effective measure is to indulge in various activities that distract their mind and calm them down, like meditation, yoga, and exercise.
6. Motivate them with rewards
The right motivation is essential for positive outcomes. This is another thing that pertains to human nature. We are all motivated to perform well and respond better to stimuli if we know some reward awaits us. We study for better grades, work for increasing pay, and live life with the ultimate goal of receiving some satisfaction.
Similarly, when dealing with teenagers, the reward mechanism effectively motivates them toward certain things. Of course, you can’t push a growing kid with sweets and park rides, but there is something your teenager wants. Use that as a reward. Also, you mustn’t put the entire reward for one achievement. Breaking the gift down into several parts is much more effective.
Conclusion
The teenage years are a crucial phase of life where individuals can go astray without proper guidance, counseling, love, and support. Therefore, as a responsible parent or guardian, the onus falls upon you to understand your kid and implement various creative ways to ensure they stay out of trouble. The tips mentioned above can help you out in this regard.
