Tag: parenting

Stories of Teen Depression and Coping with It


If you had been affected by teen depression and if you have now come out of it, you can help others by telling about your own experiences such as how you were affected, what steps you took to get rid of the problem and so on.

How The Problem Of Teen Depression Can Affect Whole Nations

The fact that the number of teens who are getting affected by this problem is rapidly increasing certainly concerns everyone of us. Especially, if more number of young people are affected, the world will be deprived of the energetic and enthusiastic services of these people. Not only that, the problems of these teens may cause a great worry in the minds of their parents, siblings, teachers and friends and due to the stress they face, their efficiency may also come down. This means that the teen depression problem of of these young people may have a cascading effect on the performance of whole nations. That is why you, as a person who had been exposed to the problem, are required to share your stories with others so that they can learn to cope with the problem.

How The Problem Started In A Teen

You might have felt gloomy and nothing might have made you happy. In short, you might have been feeling that life was not worth living. But unfortunately, you might not have understood or realized why you had such feelings.

Perhaps, what had happened in your young age might have triggered this problem in you. For example, your body odor might have initially caused anxiety in you and this might have culminated into teen depression problem. This means that when you lost your self-confidence due to your body odor, you might have doubts about yourself and your capabilities and this might have led to depression in due course of time. The stress, the ridicule you faced in your school and the peer pressure you felt might have added to the problem.

How The Problem Was Cured

Your parents, siblings, teachers and friends might have helped you, got you the appropriate treatment and you might have come out of your problem.

Another Teen Depression Story

Like yours, there is another story of another person. It was the story of Miller who almost killed himself due to his teen depression problem. He was impulsive. He tried self-medication. He consumed more alcohol than a normal person would do. He passed out and fortunately for him, he was found in a pool and was hospitalized on time.

His parents, who did not know about his teen depression problem till then, were shattered. But they recovered from the shock soon and took all the required steps to see that their son got back to normalcy.

These Are Not Just Stories But They Are Life’s Lessons

Your story and the story of Miller are not mere stories. They contain life’s lessons. Especially, in today’s context, when parenting has become a more difficult task than earlier times, these stores may help not only the affected people but their relatives and friends as well. Those who are affected by teen depression may know how to cope with the problem. Parents and others may learn how to render a helping hand and also to take the right steps for bringing the lives of the affected teens to normalcy.

Single Parenting Tips


There are a number of factors that may impact the mental health of children of single parents. Among them, the attention these children get is one of the main factors. Of course, the income levels of the single parent may also affect the mental health and self-esteem levels of children. It is not necessary that children of single parents should face problems. If you, as a single parent, teach self-respect and self-learning and infuse self-confidence in your children, these young ones can certainly grow into responsible and wise adults.

As a single parent, you should understand the following:

Accept That You Cannot Control Everything

You should understand that certain things in life cannot be controlled. This is what makes life unpredictable. You must know the things in which there are choices and those things in which you do not have any options. For example, your children may be facing problems in school or other places because there will be inputs from other children and parents.

Learn To Manage The Emotional Problems Associated With Single Parent Status

As a single parent, you may have a few emotional problems. You should therefore learn to manage them so that you are not affected by mental stress. Having frequent “fun times” with the children and using the power of humor may help you get rid of your emotional issues. At the same time, it should not be all “fun time.” Children should learn that you mean business also when it is needed.

Dignity

Experts say that single parents and especially, single mothers have what is known as “matriarchal dignity.” When you make it a point to preserve your dignity at all costs, it may rub on your children also. This may improve their self-esteem.

Take Good Care Of Yourself

Never forget that you are a single parent and the welfare of your children depends upon your welfare. You should therefore take good care of yourself by doing your regular exercises, by eating healthy foods and by managing stress. These activities will help you gain confidence and since your children consider you as their role model, your confidence will rub on them also.

Courage

Scary things may happen in everyone’s life and being a single mother, you may encounter a number of such things also. You should be courageous enough to face such situations squarely. If you surmount those problems successfully, your children will also learn how to face life’s events boldly.

Express Your Love Frequently

Your children should know that you love them and so, you should sincerely express your love as frequently as possible. You should spend sufficient quality time with them so that you can listen to their points of view. They should know that you are there to help them in every step including setting goals and achieving them. You should support them in their studies and other extra-curricular activities and hobbies. You can also help them in choosing friends and maintaining good relationships with them. If necessary, you can talk to their teacher so that they can have a good ambiance in their school.

But at the same time, you should guard against over-helping them. Children should learn to be independent for which you can help them learn how to solve problems.

If you take all these steps, you can succeed in raising confident children despite the fact that you are a single parent.

Self-esteem Tips for Teens to Get Out of the Sinkhole


Parenting experts and psychologists have come out with a new phrase known as “Tween sinkhole”. According to them, children who are between age 10 and age 15 are said to be in the “sinkhole” period. During this period, their insecurity may increase and so, their self-esteem levels may come down.

A number of factors contribute to this problem. But as a parent, you should help your teens to get rid of their self-esteem issues.

Physical Changes

When children become teens, there may be a number of physical changes in them. It may be hard for them to understand these changes. So, you should make them understand that these changes are common during this age. Not only that, they should be made to manage these changes wisely because they have to live with them.

Social Media

Though there are a number of benefits from social media sites, they can add to the confusion that starts affecting teens between age 10 and age 15. Nowadays, teens of these age are very active on the social media sites. This poses a lot of challenges to them.

For example, teens between age 10 and age 15 may form opinions of their own. They think that they are growing into adults and so, they are mature enough to form opinions. Not only that, they have exposure to various sources like the television, newspapers and the Internet from which they learn a number of things. They start thinking that they know many things though they depend upon their parents for making important decisions.

Limit Your Compliments

While parenting experts advise that you should compliment and encourage your teens, they also advise that parents should be prudent enough to limit their compliments. According to them, these teens should be made to understand the reasons for their successes and achievements. For example, when your teen does well in a particular examination, you should congratulate him but at the same time, impress upon him that only because he has put forth extra efforts, he could score such good marks. If you simply keep complimenting your teens, they may become complacent and not achieve further. In short, they should be complimented and encouraged in such a manner that they are motivated to achieve more. If you can do so, you can develop confidence in your teens.

Positive Reinforcement

In management parlance, this technique is known as ‘positive reinforcement’. You should adopt the same technique with your teens. Your young ones should be made to realize that their achievements are linked to not only their talents or strengths but to their activities as well. So, you will be motivating them to put in more efforts for achieving great things.

In fact, the approach is aimed at bettering their performances on a continuous basis which itself is a reward for them. In this process, you will be motivating your teens to set their new goals or rewards. This approach that is completely based on the self-esteem principles emphasized by experts and that makes children understand the link between their actions and the outcomes, will help your teens come out of their sinkhole period.

Parenting Tips: When Raising a Teenage Daughter


No easy task, raising a teenage daughter is a formidable enterprise that requires a great deal of patience and understanding from both parents alike, though especially from mum. The ability to communicate openly and share thoughts with your child is of vital importance. Things can get pretty rough with raging adolescent hormones around the house. The important thing to remember is that, this too shall pass. However, here are some helpful pointers to keep in mind when the going gets tough.  Continue reading “Parenting Tips: When Raising a Teenage Daughter” →

Parenting Tips: Motivating Your Children at School


Motivating your child to get attentive and spend time excelling in school can get pretty frustrating, especially if your child will have nothing to do with their study assignments. By creating an environment of fun and excitement in their approach to school work, children will automatically take to learning as an enjoyable exercise. Getting your child to see study as an appealing way of learning new and exciting facts about the world they live in will stir up their curious attitudes.  Continue reading “Parenting Tips: Motivating Your Children at School” →

Parenting: Taking out Time for Children


Working parents have it the hardest. In between driving a career, running a household, as well as taking time out to spend quality time with the children. At times the list might seem interminable, and most times it is. However, maximizing on quality time spent with the kids will make up for the many hours you’ve missed out on working in the thick of it all. Here are some tips for busy moms to better guide your precious time with the children. Continue reading “Parenting: Taking out Time for Children” →

Self-esteem Revisited


Parents have a lot to consider when raising a child to be a wholesome and well-balanced individual. The art to parenting is to strike a delicate balance with the development of your child. More often than not, parents are either too eager to praise their children, thus unknowingly hindering the development of ability to be realistic while appraising themselves. Continue reading “Self-esteem Revisited” →

“Mother” Is a Verb


thanks freedigitalimages.com and anankkmlMaybe it’s time we demystified the idea of the perfect mom. Yes, many moms totally rock. If you have one, this post is not for you. This one’s for those who somehow ended up doing her job.

Working with clients, my perception of mothers has broadened to include not just imperfection, but downright abuse. What’s more typical than the extreme; however, is the truth that many children are tapped to “mother” their own parent. In psychology, we call this responsible offspring the “parentified child.” It’s not a role any child would knowingly take on. It just happens because a child is better qualified to “mother” than his or her mom.

These dutiful, talented  kids have honed their skills of mothering and caretaking to the point that one or both parents lean on them to keep the household together. But wait! Who takes care of the kids if the kids are taking care of the parents? Attention, parentified kiddos- you must parent yourself. True, it’s not fair. It’s not functional. And yet, it’s real. Many children sacrifice their own childhoods to take care of business, unaware that they have accepted a role that’s codependent and hard to shake. Capable and giving, they meet the needs of their parents while their own needs go unmet. And, in most cases, they have no other choice. The alternative is chaos.

So what can children who are subtly used to serve their elders do about it? Perhaps learn about codependence and resign from the job of fixing broken family members. The right psychotherapist can help a son or daughter  break bad patterns, so they can begin to use those well honed skills to take care of themselves.

If this sounds familiar, I invite you to parent yourself. Pour that nurturing warmth on yourself. Chances are, if your mom wasn’t able to be June Cleaver, she isn’t going to miraculously transform. So go ahead and accept her limitations and love her anyway. But first and foremost, LOVE the heck out of yourself. Here are 3 ways- but this is just a start:

1. Know your worth. You are extraordinary. You are valuable. You are loveable. Don’t wait for anyone to tell you this. If a parent didn’t, they screwed up. You must tell yourself that you are enough and do so until it sinks in.

2. Consider the qualities of a mother that you crave. Nurturing. Support. And that pervasive fantasy of “unconditional love.” Now flood yourself with those. How can you make yourself feel safe? Protected? Are you on board with your own dreams? Do you love yourself no matter what? I believe “unconditional love” is a spiritual thing. Your true parent, Infinite Source, offers unlimited love. And you can be that fountain of love for yourself, too.

3. Forgive your mom for hijacking your childhood to save herself. Forgive yourself for unwittingly complying. Investigate the ways your relationship is healthy. Build upon those. Take an honest look at the ways your relationship is unhealthy. Begin to gently correct course. Look at your own needs. Meet them. And keep loving her while you love yourself, first.

Happy Mother’s Day to a whole bunch of folks who will never get the title they deserve.

Parents Role in Treating Teen Depression


Experts classify depression into three types. Parents whose children have been affected by teen depression should know about these three types. The first type is Situational Depression and this is generally triggered when certain specific events occur. For example, if there is a break-up between the teen and his or her friend, there may be a problem. In the second type, the cause is genetic which means that the problem runs in the families of the affected teens. Suicides are common in this type. Continue reading “Parents Role in Treating Teen Depression” →