
What is important for educators and parents to know about teen’s mental health right now?
We hosted a webinar on exactly that. Rosalind Wiseman Co-Founder of Cultures of Dignity and Megan Hoskins Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner were joined by three Cultures of Dignity’s Teen advisors to discuss questions like…
- How can adults help in a way that works best for teens?
- What do adults do that doesn’t work for teens
- What do adults think teens need?
- What do teens actually need?
Their advice: open, positive discussions are the key to understanding what teens may be going through.
- Remember listening is being prepared to be changed by what you hear
- Give teens privacy and don’t let them isolate in their rooms for days at a time
- Don’t ask a lot of questions when you see your child at the end of the day. Focus instead on quietly spending time with them
- If they open up to you, lead with “tell me more” rather than, “Are you sure?”
- Don’t overly relate. You can validate that things are hard but you do not know what it is like to be a teenager during these times.
- Validate, don’t relate.
If you have further questions or comments please drop us a line on Facebook, only through open communication do we grow and learn together!
Further reading and Resources:
- We Know Our Teens Are Suffering But Do We Know How We Can Help?
- Acknowledging the Pain and Celebrating the Small Moments of Joy
- Six ways to help kids transition back to school after distance learning
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline #1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or 1-800-SUICIDE
- Crisis Text Line- Text NAMI to 741-741
- The Trevor Project (LGBTQ Youth) #1-866-488-7386