At this phase, high schoolers experience strong emotions but aren’t always aware that they still have control of their actions, even when emotions are running high. On top of that, the world itself seems out of control right now. Maybe life at home is not what you or they had imagined or hoped it would be. There is a lot to process. You may hear them use phrases like, “I can’t help it. They made me so mad,” or “That’s just what I do when I’m mad. It is what it is.” As a parent, it can be helpful to teach them the skill of looking for what they can control when their emotions feel out of control. For example, they may feel enraged, but they can control their words, whether they stay in the room, choosing to pray, their breathing, or going for a walk.
- Jake
|
|