In the beginning your teen may have difficulty starting to put his/her emotions or moods into words and on paper. But he/she must keep in mind that this exercise is a healthy way to deal with desperate feelings. There will also be times where he/she may feel the need or want to express him/herself strongly and yet have difficulty putting things across.

At these times, your teen may feel like the possibilities are so vast and he/she’s standing in front of an overwhelming sea which could just swallow him/her up whole at any moment. But point out to your child that, it’s always hard to start. Explain to them how initially it may be difficult but once you get going, it begins to feel like you’re being led somewhere, and you know from your gut that you want to get there. So don’t be afraid to let go of your emotions and let yourself be taken by expression. It may just surprise you with a different kind of feeling- that of freedom.

In the beginning it may feel as if your teen could stare at a piece of paper for ages before he/she would bring him/herself to write down a sentence. This may be because of his/her fear of being judged. Then time may pass and he/she may realize that all they have in front of them is a blank page.

Clarify to your child how it is normal to come in with many fears but also elucidate how they can came out of the exercise unbound and free from binding moods or emotions by just giving the exercise a try.

At first it’s a good idea to let them start off writing about whatever they’d like. This may be from ranting about heavy metal music to a teacher that gets on their nerves everyday in fifth period. Let them get whatever they need to off their chests. Once you get them writing, you may suggest particular aims, goals, or objectives of their writing. For example, you may want your teen to stop caring for a moment about what other people would think and just focus on what he/she has to say. When your teen writes, it shouldn’t be about them anymore (peer pressure), but about him/her.

It’s important to have your teen realize that all through the course of the exercise he/she should keep telling his/her story. Being a parent, encourage them to let it unfold. Make them understand that when the creative rush boils down to a simmer, they may then realize that their page, if not pages are full. And what they initially may have been too hesitant to write down actually contributes to their own personal richness and depth of character.

Fears that may have been keeping your teen so tightly wound and afraid to write from the heart may disappear with the enlightenment of their own emotions. After they’ve mustered up the courage to put their moods and feelings down, they will eventually become more comfortable with themselves and their emotions. Once they begin to understand their moods better than so will you too. Then, all they’ve got to do is carry on with the strength to keep the pages turning. Writing is therapy.