Here are 5 ways you can help support your teen through these amazing and trying years :
• Ensure they get proper sleep . Teens need 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night . Research shows that the blood levels of the sleep hormone melatonin is higher later at night and drops later in the morning than in most children and adults . This explains why they tend to stay up later and sleep in later . However , due to school , they often go to sleep later but still have to get up early , causing sleep deprivation which can have a serious impact on development over time and leads to increased impulsivity , difficulty paying attention , and higher levels of anxiety . Encourage your teen to develop a good bedtime routine which includes sleep meditations or relaxing movements such as gentle yoga , and when they have the opportunity to sleep in , let them sleep !
• Talk about the immediate and long-term consequences of their actions . Explain how one action can affect many people . Help your child to stop and think . Rather than simply punishing your teen by taking away their phone or video games , look to logical solutions that help solve the problem that was created by their behavior , and discuss your reasoning along the way . When you talk through cause and effect , you are helping your child make these connections in the brain , strengthening that area as it develops .
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