Ty Howard
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How to Conduct a Simple Mid-Year Mental Health and Motivation Check-Up on Your Teen
Teenage years are the period of significant physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes. Your teen’s emotional life becomes more complex, as well as their interpersonal relationships.
Adolescents start establishing their individuality and independence, develop a sense of morality, and begin to value and respect rules. Under peer and media pressure, teenagers can begin to struggle with body image and low self-esteem.
Even without the ongoing pandemic, a teenager’s life may be full of challenges. However, the COVID-19 has forced changes in lifestyle and day-to-day routine that may cause anxiety, concern, loneliness, and other emotional difficulties in your teen.
Why it is Important to Conduct a Simple Mid-Year Mental Health and Motivation Check-Up on Your Teen?
The mid-year mental health and motivation check-up is a helpful and straightforward strategy to help your teen manage their mental health and keep them motivated to pursue their goals. This is important, especially due to the current events, the COVID-19 pandemic, the civil unrest and protests, and the uncertainty of how schools will re-open and function this school year.
The simple mid-year check-up is a two-part concept that involves:
1) Mental health
2) Self-motivation
Here is a short practical guide to help you conduct a mid-year mental health & motivation check-up on your teen.
Follow these steps with your teen's... ➥ C.H.E.C.K.U.P. ☑
Connect through Care
While teenagers want to belong to peer groups and seek independence from family, they are still very attached to you and look for your support and guidance.
Spend time with your child and do things together, such as going for nature walks or working in the garden. Listen to your child, ask them how their day went, and show interest in their social life. This will show your teen that you care and it will strengthen the connection between you and them.
Hear and Listen to Their Understanding and Perspectives
Your teen may begin to explore identity and question norms. Teenagers are now building their own opinion, beliefs, and values. Listen to what they have to say and respect your teen’s views.
If your teen is willing to talk about their anxieties and fears, whether they are related to COVID-19 or not, listen carefully and respectfully. Help them understand that it is reasonable to feel anxious and afraid in times of crisis and uncertainty. Encourage them to communicate their feelings through creative expressions such as drama, art, poetry, or music.
Educate and Encourage
The first step in overcoming anxiety is understanding what triggers it. Talk to your teenager about the pandemic and teach them how to protect themselves. Try to answer their questions honestly and help them process fear, anger, and grief they might be experiencing.
Provide resources and encourage your teen to keep informed.
- How Teenagers Can Protect Their Mental Health During Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Covid-19 MNCAH Resources for Adolescents and Youth
Communicate through Love and Support
Show compassion and encourage your child to talk about their experiences and seek help if they find it difficult to cope alone.
Read more on tips for communicating with your teen: Tips for Communicating with Your Teen
Keep Checking In
Let your teen know that you are there for them to listen and support. Open closed bedroom doors, open the blinds, text or call them on their cell phones, remove headphones, pause the playing of video games, and address the look of deep gazing or potential hurt or numbness with caring dialogue and support.
Understand and Uplift
Your teen may experience mood swings, irritability, or anger, and this is normal. Show understanding and encourage your child to do uplifting things such as relaxation, exercise, mindfulness meditation, journaling, baking, cooking, or an arts and crafts project.
Praise Them to Stay Strong
Praise your child’s efforts, encourage them to stay strong, and inspire positive action, safe behavior, and activity. Open, genuine, and vocal praise means a lot and goes a long way with today's teenagers.
Summary
Keeping your teen’s mental health in check is no less important than taking care of their physical health. The mid-year mental health and motivation check-up is a helpful and straightforward strategy to help your teen cope with challenges, stay mentally fit, and manage self-motivation on a daily basis.
Hi! How have you helped your teen or a group of teens to cope with and stay motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic? Kindly share some of your effective strategies or ideas below. Thank you in advance for sharing.
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About the Author: Ty Howard,
Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine
Ty Howard is a nationally and internationally renowned success-habits development consultant, youth performance improvement expert, and motivational speaker who can connect with and inspire teens, young adults, and education professionals on all levels. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.
For information on the author click on the following link: Ty Howard.
To learn more information about Ty Howard's extensive teen enrichment and leadership development work, click on the following link: Ty's Teen Empowerment website.
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