Social distancing with teenagers.. COVID-19 is getting to me!! Tips from a licensed therapist in Long Beach.

People were having trouble with their relationships with their teenagers before  COVID-19.  Now with their teenagers not going to school, not socializing with friends, and not going to events, it is getting harder for families to live together.

Things to remember:

(1) Your teenager is scared too.  They don’t know what your financial situation is (if you are out of work right now),, when/if they will see their friends this school year, and are expected to do things they weren’t ever expected to do before.  They are being told to not leave the house, not go to the store, not to use so much toilet paper, and to not do anything dangerous because the hospitals may or may not have room for them.

(2) Your teenager is going through their developmental stage of finding their independence from their parents.  This is an important stage for them to figure out who they are outside of their parents and to figure out what battles they want to pick in their life.

(3) You are getting on their nerves as much as they are getting on your nerves.

What to do:

(1) Give them space.

(2) Let things/behaviors go that you can let go.

(3) Give some leeway with their screen time.  They don’t have a lot they can do and it allows them to forget their fears and how much it sucks to be stuck at home with their family.

(4) Talk to a therapist to figure out ways to help your specific teenager/family. To make an appointment call us at 562.310.9741.  We are doing online/facetime sessions as well as phone sessions.

(5) Ask your teenager if they want to talk to a therapist to figure out how to deal with all of this that is happening to them.