Ways to Encourage Your Teen to Stay Healthy and Happy

All parents want to make sure that their teen is happy and healthy. However, adolescents face a unique set of challenges throughout their teenage years that we may relate to. The good news? The lessons that we teach at home and the way that we help them approach life makes all the difference. If you want to support your teen and help them thrive, here are a few tips that you can use to encourage your teen to stay healthy and happy.

Tackle any issues they are facing as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, teens may face a number of challenges and social issues as they navigate high school and extracurricular activities with friends. Some of these external challenges can include bullying, substance use disorders, and poor academic performance. Of course, these situations can then give way to mental illnesses like major depressive disorder or anxiety disorders. Put simply, teens face numerous challenges that they may keep to themselves, which only worsens the given situation.

Whether they’ve expressed their mental health concerns to you or you believe that their behavior is indicative of a larger problem that they need help with, look for residential treatment facilities that offer your teen the support they need. For teens dealing with severe mental health issues, eating disorders, substance abuse, a residential program will provide them with the level of care and excellent counselors they need to work through their issues and come out victorious. Afterward, you can continue to support them with group therapy, outpatient programs, or even family therapy.

Help them create a solid plan for the future.

Planning for the future is a great way to help your teen reduce stress when they become seniors at their high school. For many, the next step is college. Whether this is a community college, state college, or more selective colleges across the United States. the most important step that you can take to help them is to come up with a college plan. This can mean working with them to create a college list and helping them understand the level of work it will take to go through the application process (college essays, scholarships and other financial aid, etc.). The more they have laid out for them, the easier it will be to work through once the time comes.

That being said, they don’t have to do it alone! Getting them help by seeking out college admissions help will improve their chances of getting into their favorite colleges. Consultants who offer support with college admissions strengthen the applications of college applicants, review college essays and other application documents to identify issues and improve upon them, and understand the college admission process at top universities (like Stanford or USC). If your child is focused on their continued education and career goals, this can be the type of support they need to succeed.

Improve their home environment to make a healthy life achievable.

Children imitate parents, which means that they tend to mirror our good and bad qualities. If we’re concerned about our children’s health and well-being, it may be time to look at our own. We can make our children healthier by improving our own home environment. For example, we can throw away our junk food to replace it with healthier food, stay on top of our own health to set a better example, and teach our children some of these habits. What you teach them now has a lifelong impact on them!

Your teen is their own person, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t encourage them to live a happier, healthier life. If you’re looking to help them achieve more positive outcomes in their day-to-day, the guide above will offer some suggestions that will make all the difference in their life trajectory.

Categories: Health

Nicolas Desjardins

Hello everyone, I am the main writer for SIND Canada. I've been writing articles for more than 12 years and I like sharing my knowledge. I'm currently writing for many websites and newspapers. I always keep myself very informed to give you the best information. All my years as a computer scientist made me become an incredible researcher. You can contact me on our forum or by email at [email protected].