5 Essential Skills To Keep Adolescents Contented In This COVID 19 Era

A medical student joined the college at the beginning of this year, with dreams of graduating in the next 6 years.

It seems like too much to bear to have a whole year gone with little achievement. How about one who did not achieve the grade to qualify for a medical course in her O-level. Should she reconsider the decision to retake the examination this year?

Whether this is the situation they are or worse off, here are skills to keep the adolescent contented,

1. Pick Your Battles

It means choosing the right things to oppose when it comes to an adolescent. Reserve more energy to serious issues for example indulgence in drug use.

Other issues such as how they dress do not deserve all the energy. It is important to find out how dressing in a certain way makes them feel. Make them aware of how other people will perceive them with how they dress.

2. Practice Calculated Empathy

Adolescents need to feel independent yet supported, reassure them for example by saying “we are in this together.”

Adolescents are missing out on a very important stage in their lives; at this adolescence stage they love interacting and exploring. They had plans on events to attend and places to visit.

Show them you are open to ideas they have with friends that would follow the guidelines, laid down by the experts on social distancing.

Discuss with them that you are open to ideas they could be having with friends of an outdoor activity that would follow the experts’ advice.

3. Respect Privacy

Make space for their relief and joy. Adolescents enjoy independence and freedom from parents monitoring. Ask them how they want you around in their rooms.

Give them chores considering their opinion example “we need to watch over your baby brother, but we know you had your plans too, how should we do this?”

Keep off from their emails text messages or their phones this makes them feel trusted. Only keep track of the change in their behavior and correct when there is cause for concern, such as weight loss sleep pattern changes and decreased interest in self-care.

4. Communicate In Style
Since you are in a relationship with an adolescent, How you communicate with them predicts the length of this relationship.

Refrain from criticism that attacks their personality or deprives the feeling of self-worth. Such as utterances that label their behavior for example” lazy” affects how they feel about themselves.

Avoid being defensive for instance, you forgot to bring something on your way home consider saying “I am sorry I forgot I should have set a reminder or asked you to remind me via text message.”

5. Keep Them Informed

Adolescents feel this epidemic may affect their parents' or grandparents' health; it brings anxiety about their future. Have some time to talk about COVID 19 issues. Observe signs of anxiety disorder such as a change in their normal behavior and psychological disturbance.

In conclusion, it is important to make adolescents feel independent and appreciated their inputs in activities.