Children’s charity Barnardo’s Scotland knows a thing or two about teenagers and with the news that the lockdown has been extended for at least another three weeks it is offering some useful advice for parents online.
Martin Crewe, director for Barnardo’s Scotland and father of four said: “If you’re struggling to keep your teenager in the house and sticking to lockdown rules know that you’re definitely not alone.”
Teenage brains work differently than adult brains. Developing independence and freedom is one of the central parts of being a teenager, they are much more focussed on living for today, having fun, testing boundaries and exploring their identity than they are following rules – and this explains why they might find lockdown so hard.
Children and young people have told the charity the reasons that they are struggling with lockdown include: missing social contact; peer support; getting away from family arguments; too much focus on school work and feeling scared, threatened, anxious and stressed.
As well as identifying the struggles and what doesn’t help, the online support includes advice on how to approach any problem areas; how parents and carers can support teenagers, along with a list of things that might help. It also provides information of other organisations that can offer more support.
Martin continues: “Each child is an individual and it’s important that you listen to the things they are struggling with the most and adapt things within the home, as best you can and are able to, to help them manage their responses.
“Most importantly, please remember that you are not failing as a parent it doesn’t mean your child is failing either. This is a difficult time for everyone, and there will be many other parents finding it difficult. Remember, it’s not going to last forever and we will get through this.”
For further information about Coronavirus, you can visit the charity’s Coronavirus Advice Hub which has articles and links for both adults and young people dealing with mental health, family activities, wellbeing and more.