Strategies and peer-to-peer practical parenting tips to help teens get through their lost summer.
It’s one thing to manage the disappointments brought about by Coronavirus as an adult, it’s another altogether to manage it as a teenager.
All those end of term parties, proms and gatherings, all the travelling, holidays, and festivals and even for the less frivolous-minded all those exams that would validate all the hard work put in over the last few years.
It’s all been whisked away, like the proverbial rug underpinning hopes, dreams and aspirations and expectations.
Many teens we talk to speak of feeling cheated – will their grades forever be known as the pandemic generation with bogus results? Let alone all the freedoms and excitement the summer months normally bring.
It is understandable – and normal – for them to feel disappointment but this doesn’t mean it’s easy to manage or support. Knowing that we can’t fix this, we can only really help them by teaching the life skills of how to deal with disappointment and carry on.
Here we have some tips to help you help them navigate their way through this complex emotional journey.
Practical Parenting – Teen parents
“We have a lockdown pot on the dining room table – everyone can put in a piece of paper with something they are missing which we will do as soon as we’re able.”
“My teen was gutted to be missing a summer full of trips, so we’ve asked to her think about how we could recreate them as much as possible here.”
“We have a memory jar we can add to with positives and negatives. I think I’ll put them in a book once its over so this time next year we can look back and really remember the little things – good and bad.”
“We have a family bike ride at 6pm every day – it gives us all a routine for exercise as well as a segway from school into evening.”
“When our teen daughter helps home school our primary aged son we give genuine rewards – not massive things - but little treats that make her feel better.”
“Forget about stressing over screen time and tidying their room! They need to communicate with their friends right now and this is the best, safest way. Nagging about rooms only aggravates them when they need cuddles and reassurance – pick your battles!”
“I suggested my daughter write a diary but that seemed like a chore, so we changed it to be quotes and words that sum up each day and doodles. It seems to be working better.”