Teen Week - Social-Emotional Support

Today’s post for our teenagers is all about social-emotional support and activities that can help to ease the burden of “social distancing.”  (We would prefer the term “physical distancing,” as social connections are more important than ever right now!)  It can be difficult to find ways to maintain communication and socialize with others during this pandemic.  Here are some ideas for meeting the social-emotional needs of teens and helping them stay connected:

Social Activities

  • Maintaining social interactions is so important for teens. To help with this, Netflix has created Netflix Party, a Chrome extension for watching Netflix remotely with friends.  It even synchronizes video playback and allows for group chat.  Learn more at Netflix Party
  • Sometimes it is helpful for teens to hear about how others their age are coping with the quarantine and spending their time. This article from Buzz Feed News has personal stories from teens all over the country. Their stories highlight not only how they are spending their time, but also some of the emotions they are experiencing.
  • Most teens already know about Zoom because many teachers are using that platform to hold live classes.  However, it also offers a great way for kids (extended families and adults, too) to stay connected. Their free plan can host up to 100 participants for 40 minutes. (Be informed about recent concerns regarding the safety of Zoom-learn more at NPR). Skype and FaceTime offer similar options for connecting online.
  • Beyonddifferences.org has created this great list of ideas for helping teens stay connected during COVID-19. There may be a few your teen hasn’t thought of yet!
  • Many teens enjoy playing online games that have social features such as texting or voice chat.  During this time of isolation, playing these games remotely with friends is a great way to stay connected.  It is important for parents to review the games to determine their appropriateness for your teen and whether you are comfortable with the safety features. Common Sense Media is a great resource for reading those reviews.  Fortnite, Draw Something, and Words with Friends are fun ones to consider.  

Social-Emotional Supports

  • Seize The Awkward is a resource for teens to help them learn how to get over those “awkward” moments and start the conversation when they are worried about a friend’s mental health. Having the ability to do this may be more important than ever during this time of isolation.   
  • Here is a parent resource from the Child Mind Institute on how to support teens and young adults during the Coronavirus crisis.
  • Encourage your teen to spend time on self-care. Self-care is always important, but particularly so during this time of uncertainty.  Here are a few ideas on how they can do that:
    1. Practice mindfulness using techniques such as meditation or yoga. Learn more about why this is important at Left Brain Buddha. There are also some good Apps to help teens develop this skill. Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer are a few options we found.   
    2. Encourage teens to explore their creative side using art, music, dance, journaling, etc.
    3. Engage in some type of physical activity each day. Even though we are quarantined, you can still run, walk, dance, etc. There are also lots of free online resources for exercise.
    4. Practice gratitude. For many people, gratitude isn’t something that comes naturally. However, studies have shown that being thankful helps you become a happier and more positive person. As parents/caregivers, it is important that we model gratitude, especially during times of stress and uncertainty.  In case modeling just isn’t enough for your teen, there is an App for that! For example, Three Good Things and Thankful for - Gratitude Diary are two good ones we found. 
  • Finally, parents and guardians are encouraged to carefully monitor teens to make sure they are adequately coping with the stress brought on by COVID-19.  This resource from the SAMHSA provides vital information regarding the signs of stress, strategies for how to relieve stress, and national hotline numbers to call for assistance.  


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