#Being 13

Parents need to watch Being 13: Inside the Secret World of Teens. CNN conducted a study of over 200 8th Graders who allowed child development experts to examine and analyze their social media habits.  Why are teens so anxious about what happens online?  They discovered that it’s largely due to a need to monitor their popularity status and defend themselves against those who challenge it.  It’s an age group that has a lot of anxiety about how they fit in and their status amongst peers.  Teens no longer see a difference between their online world and their real world.  Now I need to ask my soon to be 13 year old if she is checking her phone 100 times per day!

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Exercise reduces sadness and suicidality in bullied adolescents

Researchers looked at the relationship between exercise frequency, sadness and suicidality in 13,583 adolescents in grades 9-12.  While it’s highly disturbing that 25% of teens report being bullied those who exercise four times per week report report significant reductions in suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts and sadness.  The benefits also extend to teens who have not been bullied.  Exercise significantly improves mood in adolescents, bullied or not!

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Back to school anxiety

It’s challenging to help our kids with back to school stress.  Elementary schoolers admit their school anxieties.  Rather than ask direct questions it’s best to observe and listen for signs of anxiety.  As parents we serve our children best by listening rather than talking. Take enough time to empathize then normalize and move to problem solving only after we are sure they feel heard and understood.

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