Emotional Management for Teens

Regular Discussions

• Encourage your teen to participate in regular discussions with you or the whole family specific to emotions everyone is experiencing. The more you do to demonstrate your acceptance of a wide variety of emotions, the more likely your teenager will feel comfortable experiencing and owning his emotions. Talking openly about feelings also teaches your teen to recognize different emotions and understand where the feelings are coming from and why they are occurring.

Participation in a Youth Program

• A study conducted through the University of Illinois by Reed Larson, professor of family ecology, found teenagers learned to effectively manage emotions through participation in a musical theater production. The program taught teens the value of working together to reach a common goal. The study demonstrates that teens learn more about emotional management when they are working in an environment where they must observe the emotional responses of others. Youth programs such as a drama club can also provide the support and trust necessary for teens to feel comfortable expressing, realizing and controlling their own emotions.

Identify Ways to Handle Stress

• Teens are susceptible to high levels of stress due to changing hormones, academic demands, peer relations and family obligations. Helping your teen to recognize when he feels stress and what is causing the stress helps him better manage his emotions. Teach your teen effective ways to handle stress such as proper nutrition, regular exercise and adequate sleep. Suggest your teen sign up for a class specifically for stress management, such as yoga, meditation or tai chi. Help your teen set realistic goals and prioritize his time in an effective manner. As with adults, learning to manage stress is a major component to overall emotional well-being for teenagers.

Raising Emotional Awareness

• The Teens Health website outlines several techniques to help your teen learn emotional awareness. Learning to be aware of one's feelings is the first step in understanding how to manage one's emotions. Help your teen learn to name his emotions. Placing a specific name on an emotion, such as frustration or annoyance, can put your teen in touch with the experience and help him understand the difference in levels of emotions. Encourage your teen to track one specific emotion throughout the day. For example, ask him to notice whenever she feels irritated by something and to write it down. Build your teen's emotional vocabulary. A variety of emotions to name and have access to allows for a deeper understanding of his own emotions. Motivate your teen to keep a feelings journal where he can privately record his changing emotions. A journal is also a way for your teen to work through emotions and exercise creativity.