Parenting teens has been a challenge this year. Now, with winter looming and more restrictions on the horizon, many parents are wondering how they’re going to get their kids through this.
Tips for Teen Anxiety: Positive Activities to Do During Co-Vid
Break a Sweat
It’s always been difficult to muster up the energy to exercise, but in the co-vid era, it’s extra tough. Gyms across the country are closed. School sports and other group activities have been cancelled. Some states have even closed parks and hiking areas. On top of all that, we’re being told the best thing we can do right now is to stay home and watch television.
This sudden reduction in physical activity, along with worries about the pandemic and the future, has caused a marked increase in teen anxiety.
Exercise releases endorphins, feel-good chemicals that can reduce stress, lower anxiety, and improve sleep. It takes only five minutes of aerobic exercise before the body begins releasing endorphins. There are thousands of free videoson Youtube offering short workouts you can do at home.
Practice Self-care
If salons and spas are closed in your area, you won’t be able to take your daughter for a professional treatment. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a spa day at home. Splurge on some top-shelf face masks, order comfort food, and chat about teen issues. Plan special days like this in advance. It gives you both something to look forward to, and it breaks up the monotony of being stuck in lockdown.
Connect with Nature
If hiking trails and nature preserves are open in your area, bring your teens out for a walk in the great outdoors. We already discussed the general benefits of exercise. If you choose to sweat it out in a natural setting, you’ll experience a bigger boost in mental health. A growing body of research in the field of ecotherapy has shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress and anxiety, soothe depression, and even lower blood pressure.
Going on a hike together will also give you time to discuss teen issues. Parenting teens isn’t easy, especially when you are busy with work and other responsibilities. Carving out dedicated time together is important.
If you’re struggling with teen issues during the pandemic, my online mentoring services can help. Please contact me now for more information.
