Home confinement for teenagers is always a challenging task but given the Corona virus pandemic, it has become a mandatory order known as the Safer at Home by LA Mayor Garcetti & Governor Gavin Newsom. We realize that monitoring a teenager 24/7 brings some additional challenges. The following are some tips that we have gathered to help support you during this time.
Emphasize social distancing
From a developmental perspective we understand that teenagers tend to feel invincible. They may feel that this rule of social distancing is not as important or that it may even not apply to them since the media keeps reporting that it is an older adult problem. However, we each play a part in spreading the disease. As parents it is important that you let your teen know that they can be asymptomatic carriers and by exposing themselves to others, they are indeed spreading the illness. Or they can be contracting the illness from a peer who is also asymptomatic. By going out and being social, they could potentially bring back the disease into their home which can then affect another loved one at home.
Understand their frustration over not seeing friends
Bonding with peers is one of the essential developmental tasks of adolescents. Therefore, your teen's friends are hugely important. Not being able to spend time with them can be challenging to teens. Start to have conversations with your teen about their feelings and ways in which you can support them. Acknowledge that you know it’s frustrating for them to be cut off from friends. Listen to what they’re feeling, validate those feelings and then be direct about how you can work together to make this situation bearable.
Support online learning
Parents may be feeling pressured and confused about how to help their child with online learning. It's important to create a realistic schedule. As Carol Miller writes; "getting work done in defined periods, building in breaks and times for socializing, exercising and entertainment. The key principle: do a session of work first, then reward yourself with something relaxing." There will be challenges along the way and so it is important to know that you can reach out to the school for more support. As teachers become more familiar with the online learning process so will students and remote learning will be slightly easier. Remember that students will still be expected to do the work and continue to turn in assignments for their grades.
Validate their disappointment
For many the most painful part of the Coronavirus crisis will be losing important experiences: high school sports seasons, proms, theater productions, high school graduations. And even though there haven't been any concrete decisions made, these are thoughts that continue to cross their minds. Give them room to share their feelings and listen without judgment (or without reassuring them that everything will be fine). It is important for them to have the room to share their own feelings and especially the stress that we are all feeling at this time.
Although we may not know what the future will bring, we can reassure them that we have confidence in their ability to succeed.
Encourage healthy habits
Teenagers will do better during this stressful time if they get adequate sleep, eat healthy meals and exercise regularly. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule, with predictable times to wake up and go to bed, is especially important to maintaining a positive mood and their ability to fulfill academic expectations. Losing the routines that we once had can also be stressful. Some teenagers rely on being in school as a way to distract them and create distance from family members who may cause stress and tension. Thus, having to share close quarters with these people over a long period of time can increase the tension and stress. It is important therefore for parents to attempt to diffuse these tensions amongst siblings and parents.
