Dealing with a heartbroken teen
Teenagers in love can definitely be a hard issue to tackle for any parent, especially when you’re still just getting over your teen’s first steps as a toddler. Yes parent, your kids are growing up and along with adolescence also comes the heartbreaks of young love. A young teen’s first heartbreak is a difficult time for your teen so be there for him/her. If you show your teenager that you understand his/her feelings and that he/she is not alone, you can help ease an aching heart. At a time like this, normally a teenager’s self-esteem may need a boost. It wouldn’t hurt to remind him/her of his/her great qualities and all the reasons why he/she is someone wonderful to love. Remind your teen about all things positive
The tendency of a heartbroken teen is to focus on the negative or nitpick all the possible reasons why his/her boyfriend/girlfriend may have broken up with him/her. Initially, he/she will definitely need his/her own time alone to come to terms with the break-up, but once you’ve noticed that your teen has been locked up in his/her room for nights, find a way to take him/her out of his/her cloak of sadness and out into the fresh air. Talk to him/her. Remind him/her how wonderful life is irregardless of having a partner or not. Be as positive as you can be in order to help alleviate your teen’s mood. If you’ve got a teenage girl on your hands, she may need someone to talk to in order to let out whatever hurt she may be feeling. If it is her best friend she approaches or you, let her air out whatever feelings are bothering her inside. On the other hand, teenage boys tend to react differently to heartaches. They may meet the feelings of disappointment with anger or seclusion. Don’t force the issue if your teenage boy wants to keep mum about why you don’t see his girlfriend hanging around the house anymore.
Steering your heartbroken teen away from impulsive actions
There are several ways a teen may react to a breakup which may not be good for him/her. After a breakup a teen may immediately feel like he/she wants to go on the rebound. Advise him/her that rushing into anything in order to numb the pain of heartache won’t make things better. Point out that in fact it can even make things more complicated once your teen’s rebound girl/guy gets a real feel for the situation. Another way your teen may attempt to deal with heartache is by trying to run after the ex. Actions like these may just prolong the pain of a breakup and may also open up situations that may be awkward for your teen. Instead, try and remind your teen that he/she doesn’t need another person in order to feel good about him/herself. He/she should be confident enough to stand on his/her own.
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