If you don?t understand your teenager, you wouldn?t be the first parent to admit it. Raising a teenager can be incredibly hard work and it can often seem the equivalent of trying to run up a vertical wall. The more you try and help them, the more they seem to pull away! Teenagers behavior isn?t always as esoteric as it appears, though. Here?s a few things you should keep in mind about decoding their moodiness.
33% of Students are Involved in Bullying
Even though there are stronger anti-bullying rules and laws in place today, it?s no secret that bullying still happens. And realistically — your child can be on either side of it. Talk to your child both about how they are being treated, and how they are treating others. You might be surprised to learn that your child is suffering and embarrassed to admit it. Kids who are gay, have disabilities, or are obese are over 60% more likely to get bullied in school.
Depression is a Real Thing
Every day, over 1,000 teenagers attempt to kill themselves. Although not all suicide attempts are successful and some teenagers can still receive help after this, ideally it never gets to this extreme. Depression and anxiety in teens is widespread and the symptoms of depression can often be confused or misinterpreted. Your child?s moodiness could actually be a symptom of much larger problems. Teenage depression is no joke, especially as it occurs at a time in life where kids do not yet understand the full range of options that will be available to them in the future — they often feel very stuck in their current situation, without an ability to change it.
Can a Teen Expert Help?
A teen expert in the form of a mental health counselor or a therapist can often be very useful for communicating with your teenager. It often helps to have a third party for discussions so that you can work to break up communication behaviors that are causing rifts between you. In many cases, both parents and children have things they can work on.
Teenage Behavior Contract
One thing an expert may recommend is a behavior contract. Rather than feeling like you are laying down “unfair rules,” a teenagers behavior can be something they agree on and help to establish. Perhaps you can both agree that, for example, eye contact during discussions is important.
