Why Teens Are Stressed—and How Parents Can Help

Change what you can. “As a mom, we cannot control much of our children’s stress in school, but we can indirectly make their day smoother,” said Angie Elliston, mom and author of Phoenix Bound. “I concentrate on what I can change, rather than what I can’t change.” For instance, she sometimes adds a special surprise like M&Ms or an encouragement note in their lunch.

Remind them of the power of prayer. Teens can forget that praying for help through a stressful situation can be extremely helpful. “Parents should instill a regular practice of praying in the household, which will make it easier for children to turn to prayer in times of stress. Talk to your children about how prayer has helped you through stressful situations and teach your children how to pray,” said Adrienne Dillard, author of Every Day is Grandparents’ Day!.

The bottom line is that it’s never too late to ease off on the pressure our teens face. Start by having a meaningful conversation about home-school-activities balance. Listen first, then guide your teen into thinking about what truly matters the most to him or her, and helping them to let go of those things that don’t. Remind them to do their best without becoming constantly overwhelmed or obsessed with grades or college admission. Help them to see beyond high school and develop a long-term view. All of these things, coupled with the excellent suggestions by others in this article, will help our teens weather their high school and college years more calm and confident and happy.