Teens mental health Archives - Oh My Heartsie Girl

Raising teens is challenging. Many teens experience bullying. Some teenagers suffer from depression. Teens are also under pressure from peers to drink, do drugs, and engage in sexual activity. The fourth-highest cause of death for teenagers is suicide.

One way to combat some of the challenges of raising teens is to get them to start gardening. Teens can experience multiple benefits from gardening that can help them navigate the challenging teen years.

1. Year-Round Hobby

Many activities people engage in are seasonal. Sports leagues may last a few months of the year, leaving long gaps before they start up again.

Teens can garden year-round, no matter where they live. Hydroponics lighting that provides UV radiation makes it possible for plants to grow plants. Companies such as www.hydroblossom.co provide the soil and lighting needed to effectively grow plants indoors so your teen can keep gardening even when it’s snowing or raining.

2. Physical Health

Planting seeds involves moving bags of soil, digging, measuring, and inserting seeds. Whether they’re using a hoe to dig a trench, pouring water from a watering can, or using weeder or a claw to remove weeds, gardeners work with their hands. These activities promote good hand strength.

Lifting bags of dirt, digging in the soil, and watering plants also provide teens with regular physical activity. Gardening promotes a healthy exercise routine and can help combat obesity. Teens can strengthen their muscles and improve their cardiovascular health by gardening regularly.

3. Mental Health

Teens enjoy several mental health benefits from gardening. Gardening is a regular activity that reduces their involvement with social media. It prompts them to think about something other than themselves or school drama. As a result, the reduction in time spent on electronic devices and social media can improve their attention span. They may also be less self-absorbed because this activity encourages them to think about their plants and their plants’ needs instead of themselves.

Gardening has a positive impact on a person’s mood and can reduce depression. Therapeutic programs, such as the Polaris Teen Residential Treatment Center programs, use experiential therapies to treat teens for grief, depression, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

4. Combat Stress and Loneliness

Gardening may seem like a solitary activity, but gardeners can work together. They may even have an easier time meeting new people and interacting because of their common interests. Visiting nurseries and garden centers is a way of meeting other gardening enthusiasts. An increased interest in growing plants may also prompt teens to be interested in visiting other gardens. Teens may also want to take a class to learn more about plant care as their interest in gardening grows.

Teens will also be exposed to the color green while gardening. Exposure to green landscapes or being around the color green can reduce stress and anxiety. Learning to care for plants effectively can also help teens develop coping mechanisms for their problems.

5. Develop Responsibility

Plants need water regularly. Weeds can cause plants to starve or be discolored, so they have to be removed regularly. Gardeners may also need to treat plants affected by blight or infested by bugs. Consequently, gardening teaches teens how to care for other living things and ensure their wellbeing.

Gardeners can feel a sense of pride and responsibility for the outcome of their efforts. They will enjoy their accomplishments when they produce beautiful flowers or tasty fruits. Anticipating the outcome of their gardening efforts encourages teens to take responsibility for their efforts and work hard.

6. Develop Healthy Habits

Gardeners must develop a habit of regularly caring for their plants to ensure their plants grow. Teens who engage in gardening learn to monitor their plants. This activity also promotes good observation skills, because gardeners must watch out for blight and bugs.

Teens are more likely to eat healthy foods when they grow their own herbs, fruits, or vegetables. They are more likely to try foods they have grown themselves, making gardening an effective way of getting teens to try new foods.

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The teenage years bring about a large number of unique parenting challenges. In our current society, one of the main issues that plague parents is the apparent disconnect between the upbringing that you experienced and that which your child is experiencing. For instance, nowadays social media is an integral part of our daily lives. However, this was not the case a few years ago. Thus, as a parent to a teenager, you need to learn new tactics and strategies on how to raise your children in a way that propels them towards living healthy and balanced lives. Here are 4 important ways to do this:

Practice what you preach

It is often said that the best way to teach someone is not by telling them what to do, but rather actually doing it yourself. This is the unspoken rule when it comes to parenting teenagers. Since they are old enough to understand various issues of life, you can be certain that teenagers will be scrutinizing your actions on every opportunity that they get. For instance, you cannot tell you children not to drink and drive and yet they see you doing the same. Ensure that your actions line up with your instructions.

Promote a healthy diet

Since your teenage children still depend on you for food and other basic needs, you need to take advantage of this by providing healthy and nutritious meals at home. When you have healthy food in your home, you will be helping your children to develop good eating habits that will stay with them until adulthood. Be sure to provide a balanced diet with enough proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats. For instance, you can purchase Eastern Long Island pasture finished beef which tastes so amazing and is also packed with numerous vitamins and nutrients.

Be aware of their mental health

As mentioned previously, our current society is heavily dependent on social media for interactions and social connections. Unfortunately, this has also opened an opportunity for major vices such as cyber bullying. An article on the CNN news website states that one of the main causes of teen suicide is cyberbullying. Hence, as a parent, you should do your best to be aware of your child’s mental health by creating time to talk to them. Furthermore, you should also be keen to recognize signs of depression and other mental health challenges.

Help them to decide on a future career path

Your child’s teenage years are a significant period during which they begin deciding on which career path they would like to follow. It is very important for you as a parent to walk with your child in this journey by providing advice and wise counsel wherever possible. If your child doesn’t have an idea of what career they wish pursue, you could assist them by pointing out special skills and talents that they have. At the end of the day, your role as a parent should be to support your child and encourage them as they get started on their journey of life.