Building Resilience In Teens During Puberty: Practical Tips For Parents

Introduction

Movies and books make teenage life look so easy. It is so simple and right when those characters use the pronoun ‘I’ to define and assert who they are and what they want. They hang out with amazing friends, wear clothes that suit their style, laugh, and spend time together. Anxieties, pimples, zits, problems, and exams barely touch them.

But that’s where the difference between reality and fiction lies. While what people see and read is the ideal, what they experience and endure is real. This is why Indian teenagers nowadays have such a hard time figuring out who they are and what they want. Also, a lack of support system and mental relaxation can further agitate your teens and cause them to rebel or suffer from dwindling mental health.

Building Resilience In Teens During Puberty

Once children become teenagers, their world and surroundings change almost overnight. From being ridiculed and judged to being teased and bullied to simply feeling lost and misunderstood, a whole new range of emotions and situations tackle your kids daily.

And since parents and teachers have long trodden the paths of adolescence, they often tend to forget how overwhelming and lonely it can be, especially in the modern context. In such cases, the only way to protect your pubescent kids' and teens’ mental well-being is by developing resilience in them.

Resilience is the ability to face challenges and adversities without being overwhelmed by them. It refers to not succumbing to pressure and stress, but persevering against it till success is achieved, be it in one attempt or many.

It acts like mental armor for kids, enabling them to be brave and strong in life. Resilience helps teenagers tune out negativity and focus on the path ahead. Here’s a quick guide on building resilience in teens during puberty along with some practical tips for parents.

Practical Tips For Building Resilience In Teens

Help Them Express Emotions

It is important to teach teenagers how to express their emotions healthily. During puberty, kids are likely to be overwhelmed by so many new, confusing emotions. They may not realize how or why they feel negative emotions like irritation, anger, or envy and lash out at their loved ones. It is important to explain to them the various emotions and how to identify and express them constructively.

Listen Carefully

Listen to your teenagers. Hear them out, their thoughts, dreams, fears, and aspirations. Do not listen to respond or speak your mind. As teenagers grow up, they begin putting boundaries and walls around them, not realizing which are suitable or appropriate. If they are still coming to you with honesty and sincerity, then it’s a bonus and shortcut for parenting during puberty. If not, start by creating a supportive and judgment-free environment at home.

Offer Practical And Relatable Advice

It is imperative to learn to balance and differentiate between the roles of parent and confidante when handling pubescent kids and teens. This is because you must be empathetic to their needs and problems and look at things from their perspective. This will help you offer relatable advice that remains practical and useful.

Appreciate Their Efforts And Strengths

Teenagers and pubescent kids often suffer from low self-esteem and do not have much confidence in themselves. Appreciating their efforts in any endeavor teaches them to inculcate a growth mindset and not be fazed by failures. It also teaches them to work to their strengths.

Enforce Boundaries

While kindness, compassion, and empathy are important, it is equally crucial to enforce boundaries and maintain discipline at home. From establishing reasonable curfews to grounding or taking away digital privileges as punishment, is recommended compared to any form of corporal punishment. Be strict, but do not resort to negative comments. They should fear your authority, not temper.

Maintain Consistency

It is important to be consistent with adolescents and growing kids. As this is the age they begin having serious anxious and negative thoughts, inconsistency in parenting, disciplining, or appreciating may further trigger negative behavior and actions in teens. Consistent enforcement of boundaries and rewarding good behavior keep anxiety at bay while developing mental resilience.

Build Healthy Habits

It is ideal to build healthy habits in kids from an early age. Do not force them, but gradually introduce them to various forms of physical and creative activities that will nurture their mind, body, and soul. As they grow up, they will shine in their preferred fields and continue to pursue those hobbies in the future, both leisurely and professionally. This helps kids avoid spending leisure in a listless and unproductive manner, forging mental willpower and resilience instead.

Conclusion

It is ideal for building resilience in teens during puberty. However, this can only happen after parents stop viewing them as mystical beings and start treating them in a strict but loving way. Your support and love should always be there, provided your kid learns from their mistakes and does not repeat them. But you need to express it sometimes to make your teens feel valued and appreciated. A nurturing environment is crucial to building mental resilience and strength in teens, along with this handy guide.