A parenting expert’s tips on raising teens in the Age of anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the common feelings or conditions found in today’s teenagers. For the 21^st century, teenagers can be called as Age of stress as well. Anxiety means worrying and taking tension about everyday life situations. Teenagers forget that they are just in the process of growing up and have their whole life ahead. Teenage kids stress about their careers, relationships, and most importantly, how they look or are they socializing enough on social media or in real life. They thrive on being one of the best ones yet forget themselves in the process. This race is what brings anxiety. Kids are emotionally overloaded at an early age due to the exposure they receive, and many of them continue to search for a sense of self well into their twenties.

What causes anxiety in kids –

1. Expectations are high, and there is a lot of pressure to succeed. Today’s youth may feel pressure to succeed in ways that past generations did not, thanks to standardized testing and a culture of performance. Higher Education Research conducts an annual study that asks new college freshmen if they feel overwhelmed by their workload. In 2016, 41% of students replied “yes,” compared to 28% in 2000 and 18% in 1985.
2. A world that is frightening and dangerous. School shootings have become more common, prompting drills and lockdowns in schools. It is acceptable for anyone to feel fearful in public areas that previously felt safe based on what they have seen or read in the news. With the pandemic also teenage kids panic about their safety as well as their loved ones.
3. Children and teenagers in today’s world are continuously connected to social media. Unsurprisingly, their self-worth and worldview are linked to their replies to social media posts. They find it difficult not to compare their lives and social relationships to what they see on social media.

Anxiety is not some fancy word or a bookish term; it is a real feeling felt by teenagers all over the world.

As parents, you may feel restless looking at your teenage kid battling anxiety and would want some tips to help your teen kid and keep them away from this Age of anxiety.

Here are some points from the famous book ‘Parenting the New Teen in the Age of anxiety written by John Duffy, who is a clinical psychologist.

1. John Duffy, a clinical psychologist, and parenting specialist argue that instead of forcing one’s idea of success on children, parents should encourage them to pursue whatever they are enthusiastic about.
2. In the Age of the internet, children’s safety is important. Parents may try to take their children’s phones and laptops away from them, but they will almost certainly find a way to use them anyhow, according to the parenting expert. “Kids are going to stumble upon things that their minds are not prepared to take in, and so we need to teach them to think strategically and be discerning and be thoughtful instead of telling them ‘You can’t do this.”
3. John Duffy explains that parents need to stop being angry with their kids or punishing them now and then. As a parent, you should be available for your kid and support them on their highs and lows. Stop judging your kids. Avoiding some stuff is important to parent your teen kid.

So this was the basic summary of John Duffy’s book. It is a great book for both teenagers and parents to battle anxiety and supports their children respectively.

If you want to read in more detail about John Duffy’s tip, you can buy his book on any e-commerce website.

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