A Brighter Day Charity
As families roll into the fall season, the founder of A Brighter Day shares his tips to strengthen the relationship between parents and their teens.
— Elliot Kallen, President of A Brighter Day
SAN RAMON, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, October 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — It’s hard to fathom that dressing up in costumes, asking for candy, or handing out candy can increase the stress level in our teens. But, it’s true. The shortened daylight hours and longing for one’s younger days when Halloween was innocent and fun can actually cause or increase the level of stress for teens, as well as depression. As parents, it’s crucial to pay attention to the signs.
Here are a few traits of depression from the CDC that teens may experience in October that parents should be aware of:
•Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time
•Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things (like participating in Halloween activities)
•Eating and sleeping patterns are disrupted or changing
•Showing changes in energy (like being tired, sluggish, or tense and restless a lot of the time)
•Having a hard time paying attention
•Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty
•Showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior
What can parents do to help?
1. Make dinnertime a cell phone-free time and begin to engage with their teens genuinely. Nothing is going to beat excellent communication with teens.
2. Talk with them about Halloween and what their friends are doing.
3. Talk with them about school, tests, favorite and least favorite classes, or teachers. Don’t be afraid to dig deeper with more questions.
4. Go for a walk with their teen. Most people talk much more when they are walking with someone they like. The outdoors can help teens gain mental clarity and open up.
5. Dedicate a day or two to giving quality, undivided attention to your teen. You can get creative here; they would instead not do this, but it’s important. Make it fun. Take a trip. Plan a new activity. Involve their interests.
6. Be empathetic. Try to view their world through teens’ eyes, rather than our own perspective.
7. Be open-minded and non-judgmental. It’s up to us, as parents, to create a safe space for everyone.
If parents are unsure of their teen’s feelings or how they are coping, they shouldn’t be afraid to use our Text Chat program. It’s available 24/7 for immediate support. Parents should give this information to their teens as well — just text “BRIGHTER” to 741741.
We are here to help. Our resource center is at www.abrighterday.info. There are many articles, information toolkits, and parenting tips on strengthening the relationship between parents and their teens.
Please reach out to me at elliot@abrighterday.info for more information.
All my best,
Elliot Kallen
About A Brighter Day
A Brighter Day Charity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015. It is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and works to bring awareness to teen mental health, provide educational resources to parents and teens, and ultimately stop teen suicide. A Brighter Day was founded by Elliot Kallen, President at Prosperity Financial Group, and his wife Tammy, in memory of their son, Jake Kallen.
For collaboration opportunities, please email Shaina Steinberg at Shaina@abrighterday.info.
Elliot Kallen
A Brighter Day
+1 510-206-1103
Elliot@abrighterday.info
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