Prepare your Teenager Face Challenges: As a parent, all we want in life is to help our child to have a better future. We dream about their well-being and successes.

One of our major priorities as a parent is to guide and to prepare them in every challenge in life. We want them to be ready when life hits them bad.

And maybe, seeing your son or daughter persevere in any challenges in life makes you feel proud and satisfied.

If you are successful in this. As per me it is one of the biggest achievements you have accomplish as a parent.

Topic

1. Introduction
2. Importance to prepare your teenager face challenges in their life
3. Five Ways to prepare your teenager face challenges in life.
4. Final Notes to Parents
5. Conclusion
6. Disclaimer

Introduction

As time passed by, your teenage son or daughter will develop naturally. Even without intervention from you, they will grow.

Things will change their physique, mental thinking, belief, principles, and responsibility.

Due to several changes they will experience lots of challenges, during teen years. And different type of challenges later in life.

While we do not wish our children to face problems and hope that they have a smooth and happy life. Who are we kidding? One certainty of life is that it has its ups and it has downs.

It becomes our job as a parent to help them be capable in managing challenges in life.

So that they do not turn to others who can be toxic for your child for advice. Or resort to substance abuse to help them cope up with the pressures of the changes they are facing and their inadequacy to resolve them.

Substance abuse if getting more prevalent in teens these days. Read our article drug use to help you get more awareness in this topic.

Importance to prepare your teenager face challenges in their life

Primarily teenager needs guidance. They need things from their parents that they can use for the future. They are open to learn something new each day.

As a parent, you must make sure that they are learning from you, whether a new skill, a different language, or even simplest thing you can think of. It is very important for them to learn from you or through your guidance / tutors you arrange.

But why do we really need to prepare our teenager face challenges in life?  The answer is simple because we want them to be READY.

Many teens get into depression or worse even have suicidal tendency when they are ill equipped to face life challenges.

As parents it is better, we are aware of the problem’s teenagers are facing and be vigilant and not miss the signs should they appear.

Spend some time reading our article Suicide.

We want them to be ready so that they can pass through even the most difficult challenges in life. So, we can be sure that they will be okay without us.

Fundamental things your teen should know about challenges

Make sure that your teen knows these basic things about challenges. Any challenges they face in life.

When one knows the beast well. They will figure out an effective way to deal with it.

1. Everyone in life face challenges. They are not alone. There is nothing to feel ashamed of.
2. It is the low point or the challenges that make one grow and mature.
3. No challenge is permanent. One can always move past it. Things change and so will situations. Just be patient.
4. It is better to meet challenges and face them. Than to avoid and run away from them.
5. Its Ok to seek and get help to overcome challenges they are facing. Asking for help does not make them weak.
6. A challenge is successfully overcome only if learnings from it is got and internalised.
7. Trust it will all work for good. Have hope, keep your eyes on the goal and move forward.
8. When one surrounds themselves with positive minded people? Those who will help and support. Challenges become easy to face.
9. By concentrating on the next logical step. And keep moving forward consistently. Challenges can be overcome.
10. With the right attitude challenges can be turned around to become opportunities.

Five Ways How to prepare your teenager face challenges in Life

1. Teach them to be Confident

One of the best ways to prepare your teenager face life challenges is to boost their self-confidence.

According to Wikipedia, “Confidence is a state of being clear headed either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective.”

The word “confidence’ itself comes from the Latin word “fidere” which means “to trust”.

The more teenagers trust and believe on their self, the more capable they can be to face challenges in life.

So, do your best to help them be confident enough. There are simple things you can do to help them be more confident.

You can complement them even on the simplest achievement that they get. You can complement them if they score better of achievement test. Tell them that “You did great, I’m so proud of you!”.

Even when they failed to accomplish things, praise the efforts they have put in, this will boost their confident. Tell them that “It’s okay; I know you can do better next time”.

Simple words can make a huge difference to prepare your teenager in facing challenges in life.

If you like to know more on how you can help in boosting self confidence in your teenager, you can read our article self-confidence and get more insights.

• Encourage them

To help and prepare your teenager face challenges in life, make sure to encourage them. Teens have a lot of doubts in mind.

They tend to overthink most of the time even on small problems or task that they need to do. They have so many questions in mind.

Here are some examples of teenagers thought:

• “What if I failed to win in the completion?”
• “What if I failed in the entrance exams?”
• “Maybe they will not like me anymore”
• “I can’t do it because I’m not capable”

When they are in constant worry it leads to anxiety issues in your teenager. You can read our article on anxiety issues in teenagers to know more about this. Use this link to reach to the article anxiety issue.

So, try to help your teen muster up courage. Build it in your son or daughter.

The more you encourage them the more they will believe on their self.

This little encouragement that you provide to your teenager can help and prepare your teenager face challengesin life.

• Train them to be Smart

Knowledge is something that can be helpful for anyone. Each person has different capacity in terms of it.

Given that, you must train your teenager to be smarter. Intelligence is something than can be developed, by means of studying and experience.

Try to expose your teenager in different situation to learn some information.

After all, Intelligence is something which lies in one’s approach rather than the actual attainments.

Teach them a way to solve a problem on their own. Let them think of possible consequence that can happen before they decide on something.

For example, you want your teenager to learn how to budget their own allowance. Instead of giving it day by day, give a one-week allowance budget to your teenager and let them do the budgeting on their own.

In this way, they will learn the different possible consequences of their actions, and you are training them to be smart.

For example, let’s say that your teen is facing a challenge on their incoming interview. Now, tell your teen to visit Google and search for an interview tip. They’ll learn on their own about the process and how things have gone for other people.

If you wish to develop you teenager experiences and knowledge there are plenty of good ways to do it.

Surely, by training them to be smart you are preparing them to capable enough to face challenges in life.

While the above methods work like a charm for my elder son. For my second son what worked was giving him books to read.

Given his introverted nature he would love to sit in a quiet corner and read books.

So, having a reading habit myself it was easy to figure out the types of books my son was picking up and reading.

I soon figured out that he had a liking to read about biographies. He preferred it more than teenage adventure and romance novels. So, I made it a point to keep buying books to his interest and leave them around in the house.

• Let them Feel your Presence

Your role as the parent is very important to prepare your teenager in life.

You are the main source of their courage and strength to face problems. You are responsible in making sure that they will be fine.

Teens need guidance because they are facing a lot of changes in life so, make sure that you guide them. This will be very important to help them and prepare your teenager face challengesin life.

You need to emotionally connect with your teenager to make these interactions much more powerful and useful. There are many ways that you can do it. And I have outline few of my experiences in the article emotional connection.

Let them know that you will always be on their side if they have a problem.

Always ask them if they have any problem or if they need any advice. Your advice can make a huge impact on their maturity.

They will always remember your parental advice. If some point in the future, they experience problem for sure they will remember the things that you have said to them.

Develop their Communication Skill

Communication skill is very important skill. It can be used anywhere, whether on school, on job, or even on daily conversation.

It can help everyone to accomplish something for instance, business negotiation. If, you have got great communication skills then most likely you can close a deal or get through a situation with fair amount of ease comparatively.

Good communication skill can help your teenager to face challenges in life. It can help them to resolve and find solution to the problem.

If, your teenager is facing challenges involving other people like, their friends or classmates then the only thing to solve it is through good communication.

So, help your teenager to develop their communication skills. In that way they can deal with almost any problem that they will face in the future.

Have some conversation with them and see if, they can articulate their opinions well.

Natural conversation is the best way to help your teenager develop their communication skill.

Here are tips on how you can help your teenager develop their communication skills:

• Have a conversation each day
• Give the task such as answering phone calls
• Enroll them in a class
• Let them participate in public speaking (if they want)
• Invite her/his friends in your house
• Let them listen to debates
• Make them read books / the daily paper

12 Steps to follow to help your teen overcome challenge

Listed below the steps that you as a parent can follow to help your teen face and overcome challenge they are facing.

1. Acknowledge and validate the feeling of your teenager.
2. Help them to acknowledge and accept that they are Facing a challenge.
3. Understand the challenge faced completely. Such as Root cause, facts, reality checks etc.
4. Make your teen come up with the end goal they like to achieve. E.g. They like to win a competition, or learn a new skill, or get out of a certain relationship etc.
5. Help your teen decide to reach or achieve that goal.
6. Let your teen know that it takes courage to ask for help, reach out for support. And people will be willing to help them.
7. Encourage your teen to progress on the plan. The pace does not matter if it is consistent.
8. Show your teen how the challenge is now become an opportunity to be come better. This will help them change the attitude in which they are looking at the issue.
9. Stand by them as they work though the challenge. Support offer help and do not be judgemental.
10. For problems that needs to be endured. Teach them coping mechanisms and persistence. So that they do not lose the shine in their life.
11. Celebrate their victories, their achievement, and their efforts. And show them that you are proud of them.
12. Teach them not to forget to enjoy the little things in life as they sail though life’s difficulties. E.g. They might have their dream college interview lined up. But does not mean they cannot stop to have a cup of tea and a good laugh with their little sister.

Ways to change your teenager’s perception about the challenge

You might wonder why is this important. Think about it. Assuming you are in a race. If you do not know when it will end. how will your effort b. But when you see the end line. Ow will your effort be.

Wont you put in more effort if you see the light in the end of the tunnel.

Similarly, when your teen looks at a challenge as a never ending one. They can get discouraged and worse still give up.

However, if they see it as a challenge they can overcome. They will put in more effort and attention to get over it.

So, below are some ways I can think of to help your teen change their perception about the problem in hand.

1. Tell them that all problems are temporary and even this will pass.
2.  Show them examples of people who have faced similar challenges and overcame it successfully.
3. Show them that no challenge can stand before a person who refuse to quit.
4. Teach them to accept help and be flexible and adapt as they go along.
5. Let them understand failure is just another form as learning. So, no shame or worry if they fail.
6. Make them look forward to the learning the challenge is going to bring in. This will help them embrace it. E.g. They might fall while riding the bicycle. But when they learn they can be independent. Go wherever they want to.
7. Take them with you to voluntary work with people less privileged than them. It will help them appreciate the good things they have in life.
8. Teach them to be thankful of the challenges they face. I know from experience that every challenge my kids and I have been thankful for. Has turned out to be something we were thankful for in the long run.
9. Pep talk to them. Pump them up and give them the courage to say to the challenge “Bring it on”. This will make them look at the challenges as game to win.
10. Make them believe in themselves. That they have what it takes to overcome the challenge.

How to build core strength to face challenges in life

When you have a healthy connection with your teenager. Most of the time you would be able to help you teenager when they face challenges in life.

And the security that you give them will help them deal with any type of anxiety issues or stress or challenge that they might have.

However, it is always better that you have some scheduled time with your teenager. So that both of you make a conscious effort to spend time together.

Work with your teenager cause list down things that they think can help them with their overall wellbeing…

Make a list of things and bucket them under the four buckets I have mentioned below…

Bucket 1: Things that will help in my Physical well-being.

Such as…

1. Do exercise for 30 mins; Walk for 1 Km everyday
2. Eat 2 eggs, have 2 glass of milk etc… everyday…
3. Drink 8 glass of water. One glass first thing in the morning.
4. Eat by 7 Pm Every day.
5. Rest for 8 hrs a day.

Bucket 2: Things that will help in my Emotional well-being.

Such as…

1. Will re-establish connection with 1 old friend a week/ month.
2. Spend 1 weekend a month just with family.
3. Journal my feelings or write a poem or draw a painting.
4. Spend 30 mins a week with a trusted friends or family member.
5. Do one good deed a week.

Bucket 3: Things that will help in my Mental well-being.

Such as…

1. Enrol on a Hobbies class and stick to it the full year.
2. Have an evening of a week only for myself.
3. Have a humour time once in a week… Where you are either reading comics or funny stories. Or Going for a stand-up comedy show or watching a comedy move.
4. Visit a new place in your own town once a month. Relax and enjoy the experience.
5. Send one thank you note to someone once a week.

Bucket 4: Things that will help in my Spiritual well-being.

Such as…

1. Take time every day to pray or meditate.
2. Read scriptures or inspirational books that uplift your spiritual life.
3. Participate in one volunteer work a month for community upliftment.
4. Listen or sing spiritually uplifting songs.
5. Have a gratitude journal where at least 1 item is penned down once a week.

The list above are samples. They are indicative to give you outline and get your creative juices flowing. You and your teen can come up with what suits your teen best.

When one makes a conscious effort to develop and grow in all these 4 aspects of their life. You have given a vaccine to your teenager. A vaccine which will only help your teenager to face many challenges in their life but also to overcome and thrive. 

Things to Note: To be more effective…

1. Be very precise in your action items. (with time and frequency and what is to be done)
2. Do not overwhelm your teenager with a huge laundry list of things. Slow and steady wins the race.
3. Have just 1 unique item per bucket for the week. To start and ease into the patten.
4. Review it in a casual way the following week.
5. Some can be things that need to be followed every day. Such as drinking 8 glass of water. That can be in a common bucket.
6. Start by helping your teen. But slowly let them come up with their own list.
7. Do not impose your idea. If they have a week of break. Chill… It does good for their mental wellbeing.
8. Be consistent. Do not give up. When I started my teen for weeks together did not corporate. But they listed and slowly in their own pace started implementing and experimenting it.
9.  Do not be judgemental. Do not Nag. Reward them for their effort. Praise and appreciate them.
10. You also try and do the things your teen has listed out. In that way you set an example for your teen. It becomes easy for them to follow. After all teen wellbeing are not too different from adult wellbeing.

Final Notes to Parents

It is important to help and prepare your teenager face challengesin life after all you love them. You do not want them to be defeated by challenges. 

Helping them to overcome problems in life will become give positive results. You need them to be ready in life’s unexpected challenges.

Help them to be confident about their self. Make them believe that they can do something, which they can pass through anything if they pursue it.

Always remember that simple encouraging words can make a huge difference to prepare your teenager in facing challenges in life.

Always be the first person to encourage them because they need it. They need someone to lean on and believe in them. This also might be the main thing that your teenager might need if they are depressed or fighting depression.

As a parent know about the signs of depression. Depression is treatable. But in most cases, it is not spotted to get timely help. Our blog Depression will be able to help you with this.

Teach them to be smart, by giving experience and exposure on real life problems.

Let them gain the ability to think on their own. So, that they know how to come up with a solution to a problem.

Ensure that your teenager knows and believes that you are always on their side no matter what especially through difficult times.

As early as possible, help them to develop their communication skills. So, that when adversity face them, they know how to deal with it.

Conclusion

Ups and downs, Highs and Lows, all this in life is the only certainty of life. And it is these Ups and downs, Highs and Lows, that is also what makes life interesting.

To prepare your teenager face challengesin life is like preparing them to be ready when you are gone.

It is important and a must task for parent to ensure that they are ready to face challenges in life.

So that, no matter how difficult and sorrowful the situation is, your beloved son or daughter will never give up. Brave the storm and emerge victoriously. All this while retaining sanity and a smile on their face.

God Bless!

Disclaimer:

I like to make a disclaimer here. I am not a medical practitioner and more about me, my qualification and experience or that of my team you can read in About Us page.

However, I am a mother growing 3 kids. Am a concerned parent.

I like to share my knowledge with the hope that it will be help to someone somewhere and make a difference to a very worried parent.

I have written this article, basis my experience, my talk with experts in this line and research on this topic. Also, I have implemented it in my life with my kids.

I like to emphasize that this is only for knowledge sharing and information purpose.

The contents of the Shades-of-yellow.com site, including text, graphics, images, and other material are for informational purposes only.

Nothing contained in this site is or should be considered or used as a substitute for any medical or professional advice.

It should not also be a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

If you are feeling concerned and worried about your kid. Your instinct tells you to be concerned.

As a parent to parent. I would say trust your instinct. No one knows better than you as a parent to your child. It is best to reach out to a qualified practitioner to address your concern.

Never disregard medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider or delay seeking it because of something you have read on the Internet, including articles and content in our site Shades-of-Yellow.com.

If you wish to know more on our disclaimer. We have shared the link here for your easy reference. Disclaimer.

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