How to Help Teens Overcome Failure
The most important people in any teenager’s life are his or her parents. So whenever trouble comes along for the young person, their best supporter is their mother and/or father. Now this is the ideal situation and does not occur in all families. But if your teen is experiencing failure, you as their parent are in a great position to help.
Of course failure can come in many guises and have different effects. Failure in academic progress at school can influence future job prospects. Failure in success in the sporting arena can make a teen disappointed even depressed; as can a teen failing in a relationship bringing on self doubts and poor self esteem.
These can be serious issues for young person which means it is vital that you as the parent do all you can to help your child overcome failure.
First there are practical steps you can take. If academic failure occurs, if grades drop and teachers advise that more work needs to be done, you can do several things.
First ascertain if there is a problem causing the poor grades. Does your child suffer from ADHD or some situation which is handicapping their progress? Is your child mixing with the wrong people? Is your child the victim of bullying? There could be a reason or reasons why their school work is suffering.
Then there is always the use of extra tuition. A private tutor could mean all the difference in helping your teen overcome failure in say maths or English. There are practical steps you can and should take if required.
Then there is the issue of relationships. If your child has feelings for someone and those feelings are rejected, it can be a crushing time for the young person. As their parent you need to be there. By having an open and honest relationship with your child, you can show your love and support and have the teen understand that home is a safe and welcoming place. Telling a teen that there are plenty more fish in the sea may not remove the hurt there and then but time is a great healer and with strong family support you can help your teen through this tough time.
Strong and clear guidelines from an early age will help a teen who is struggling. When they grow older and seek more independence, knowing what their parents will and won’t allow means the young person has a firm foundation for their behavior. Drawing up the rules for their behavior with the child makes the contract even stronger. Co-operation is more powerful than a law imposed by the parents.
It is most likely that every teen will face failure in some aspect of their life. But it’s not the failure which is important, but rather how we react to that failure. The best thing you can do for your child is to teach them to learn from their mistakes and to never give up. Encourage them to get back on the horse and to do better the next and every other time.
Here are additional resources you might be interested in:
