How to Encourage Your Teens to Get the Most Out of Life

You’ve been a teenager before, so you are familiar with the ups and downs of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Unfortunately, although much may have changed between your teenage years till now, the challenges of a teenager have remained the same throughout the years. From acne to relationships, there are so many factors your teenage child is faced with. Sometimes, this can be hard on them. According to Yale Medicine, about 3.2% of American adolescents have been diagnosed with depression. Therefore, it is vital as parents and guardians to encourage your teen children to make the most out of their lives! But how do you do this? Below are a few tips. 

1. Focus On The Process, Not The Outcome

Understandably, as a parent or guardian, you want your child to excel in school– getting the best grades, being a part of a healthy social group, playing sports, and so on. Although these are good, there’s more to life than these. What truly matters are the skills your child develops to achieve these goals. When your child is forced to focus on only the outcomes, they become fixated on producing results instead of being mindful and present during the process. Additionally, this fixation would cause negative implications on their mental and emotional well-being if they do not achieve these goals. Therefore as parents and guardians, you are responsible for encouraging your teens to focus on the process. And when they are unable to achieve the desired goals, assist them in finding ways to improve while praising them for the efforts they have made.

2. Support Your Teen’s Interests

Even in their teenage years, your children still have a sense of wild exploration and curiosity. This is important as it allows them to express their creativity and learn more about themselves and the world around them. This is why you must encourage your teen’s interest. For example, if your child loves to dance or sing, encourage them by letting them show off their dance moves or perform for friends and family. Perhaps, they have a flair for organizing. In that case, you can encourage them to join school committees like those established during Spirit Week. This way, they can learn more about event planning and further explore their interests as they organize high school spirit wear for students, decorate, and ensure the smooth running of activities. Encouraging your child’s interest makes them more passionate, which teaches them to be self-motivated— a valuable life lesson.

3. Be An Example

No matter how old they are, your children will always look to you for guidance. In some cases, they may be direct about and ask for advice. However, more often than not, your children watch and learn from your actions and inactions. When encouraging your child to make the most out of life, you must first ask yourself if you are a personification of this. Are you making the most out of your life? Would your child want to do the same by looking at how you live? If your teens see you live a life contrary to what you have thought them, it would be difficult for them to listen to you afterward.