Physical Wellness
Learn:
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Physical activity keeps the body strong and healthy and can improve mental health by decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain and loneliness. https://fight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image4.jpg
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Physical activity can also improve focus, school performance, sleep and energy levels.
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Children who participate in regular physical activity enjoy improved relationships and a more positive body image.
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Adolescence is the period of transition between childhood and adulthood. Children who are entering adolescence are going through many changes (physical, intellectual, personality and social developmental). Adolescence begins at puberty, which now occurs earlier, on average, than in the past. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7060-adolescent-development
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Many boys and girls enter adolescence undernourished, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of adolescents who are overweight or obese is increasing in low-, middle- and high-income countries. Globally, in 2016, over one in six adolescents aged 10–19 years was overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions, https://youth.gov/feature-article/changing-transition-adulthood-tag-talk
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The rapid physical development during adolescence requires an increased number of calories for girls and boys. A challenge during this time is making sure that teens are consuming a sufficient balance of appropriate foods. Two extreme nutritional issues during adolescence are obesity and eating disorders, both of which can have negative physical and psychological effects on youth. https://youth.gov/youth-topics/adolescent-health/adolescent-development
Monitor
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Encourage your teen to get enough sleep and physical activity, and to eat healthy, balanced meals. Make sure your teen gets 1 hour or more of physical activity each day.
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Keep television sets and electronic devices out of your teen’s bedroom. Set limits for screen time, including cell phones, computers, video games, and other devices and develop a family media plan.
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Encourage your teen to have meals with the family. Eating together will help your teen make better choices about the foods he/she eats, promote healthy weight, and give family members time to talk with each other. In addition, a teen who eats meals with the family is more likely to get better grades and less likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs, and also less likely to get into fights, think about suicide, or engage in sexual activity. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/healthy-eating-physical-activity-for-life/helping-your-child-tips-for-parents
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Don’t skip meals. https://carilionclinicliving.com/article/kids/your-teen-skipping-meals
Make sure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep each night: For teenagers 13-18 years, 8–10 hours per 24 hours (including naps). https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/childrens-health/10-tips-to-help-your-teen-sleep-better
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Recognize & Intervene
Recognize
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During adolescence, teens develop in different physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects. Likewise, it’s a time of many risks, during which teens adopt habits and behavior that will carry on into adulthood.
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Difficulty sleeping can be a warning sign in adolescents. There may be a medical problem, an emotional problem or a mental health. https://teens.webmd.com/features/8-ezzz-sleep-tips-teens
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Eating disorders can take a devastating toll on teens. To help protect your child, understand the possible causes of teen eating disorders and know how to talk to your son or daughter about healthy-eating habits. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-eating-disorders/art-20044635
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Recognize and seek support for teen experiencing weight gain or obesity. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-weight-loss/art-20045224
Intervene:
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Give your children your undivided attention when they want to talk. Don't read, watch television or busy yourself with other tasks.
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Listen calmly and concentrate on hearing and understanding your children's point of view.
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Speak to your children as courteously and pleasantly as you would to a stranger. Your tone of voice can set the tone of a conversation.
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Understand your children's feelings, even if you don't always approve of their behavior. Try not to make judgments. Keep the door open on any subject. Be an "open/approachable" parent.
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Avoid humiliating your children and laughing at what may seem to you to be naive or foolish questions and statements.
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Encourage your children to "test" new ideas in conversation by not judging their ideas and opinions, but instead by listening and then offering your own views as plainly and honestly as possible. Love and mutual respect can coexist with differing points of view.
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Help your children build self-confidence by encouraging their participation in activities of their choice (not yours).
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Make an effort to commend your children frequently and appropriately. Too often, we take the good things for granted and focus on the bad, but everyone needs to be appreciated.
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Encourage your children to participate in family decision-making and to work out family concerns together with you. Understand that your children need to challenge your opinions and your ways of doing things to achieve the separation from you that's essential for their own adult identity.
Support:
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Connect your child to healthy supports like the YMCA or exercise club.
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You can also offer your teen online resources like the health guide. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/take-charge-health-guide-teenagers
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Reach out:
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To your pediatrician for support and strategies for helping your child stay healthy.
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Prepare healthy and nutritious meals. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/feeding-your-teenager
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Play. Make a tradition out of celebrating family milestones beyond birthdays and holidays. Marking smaller occasions like a good report card or a winning soccer game helps reinforce family bonds. Connect with the parents of your child’s friends and organize parent child outings like to the mall for some shopping, a group dinner out, trips to the baseball or football games.