How do Teens spend summer

With school out and summer in full swing, many parents are wondering how to keep their teens engaged, happy, and healthy during these long weeks.

Joining us now is clinical psychologist Dr. Joan.

Good morning.

Good morning. Thanks for joining us.

Now, let's start with the basics. Why is summer a tricky time for teens maybe struggling with their mental health?

Yeah, there isn't a lot of structure to kind of ground teens in their day-to-day life.

So, while at first it can feel really fun, you know, school's out, don't have those responsibilities, that homework is gone, um, and but after a while it can kind of wear on a person just because they don't know what to do and they have to decide what to do every day.

And that mental load of having to figure out every day what to do can start to wear on a person.

And so, they're isolated because all their friends are busy at summer vacation, so there's that going on.

their parents are probably still working, so they're alone with their thoughts, right?

Yeah, some kids are for sure. Like they don't have lots of regular activities, their friends aren't in their same situation, it's hard to connect.

Um people aren't around if they don't have siblings.

Um absolutely.

And then obviously many will go to phones and screens to find connection and find something to do with their day.

Okay. So when do you know your your child is struggling? What are signs of trouble?

Yeah. So if you notice changes in mood, irritability, sadness, isolation, so they're even when people are around, they're spending times by themselves when they could be with other people.

Changes in sleep and eating.

Now some of those will be natural, right? Just because of summer, those things change.

Um but if you're concerned, I really encourage first step for parents is talk to your kids, right?

Just have a conversation.

Ask how their summer's going.

you know, what their plans are, how they're feeling, what they did that day, and do the best to kind of connect because many kids will and teens will want to talk about how they're doing.

Some won't.

Um, and that sometimes can be a sign as well as if they're really isolating, they don't even want to talk.

And so, if that's the case, do you just go ahead and find them a therapist?

Well, I would say first step is to try to use some of those mental health strategies that we all know and have.

So, it doesn't have to be the first line that we we engage a therapist, but problem solve with them about, you know, I think that maybe things aren't going very well this summer.

Um, what are some ways that we can make this a little bit more enjoyable?

Have some structure for your day, physical activity, get outside, be with people.

Sometimes even setting up a little itinerary and helping them do that.

Those are some of the first things that I would recommend.

Getting on a regular sleep and eat cycle because that can really throw off mood as well.

If those things aren't working, the things that we would normally use and try to help us feel well aren't working, then I would suggest, you know, getting some professional support.

And structure is important.

So maybe after they've had, you know, their first two weeks of just chilling and relaxing and enjoying summer, then maybe incorporating a little bit more structure such as volunteering or maybe getting a summer job, right?

Yep.

Absolutely.

those things are, you know, you kind of want to maybe get on those a little early because you want to make sure that you have enough time to sign up for those kinds of things.

So, you know, you'd want to be doing those pretty soon um with built-in time for fun and relaxing and and hanging out with friends is is really important as well.

But yeah, finding some structure and working with your teens.

So, different ages will require more support or less support in trying to set up a good structure and getting their input.

You know, what are some of their goals?

what are the some of their interests and then trying to match that on to a bit of a structure for them.

We're almost out of time.

Screens are also a big deal.

Kids can't just be on their screens all day.

What's the time limit?

You know, it really varies per kid.

And I often look at how are they doing in their life um at that age.

So for teenagers, you know, are they still engaging with friends?

How's their mood?

How's their eating?

How's their sleep?

Um and how's their physical activity and getting stuff done?

And if those are looking okay, then you're probably not too bad.