Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

06-05-2021

Help Your Teen Manage Anxiety About Current Events

Your teen may be able to read at an advanced level. But advanced academic skills don't necessarily mean that teens are also emotionally mature enough to handle upsetting current events.

To help your teen process distressing news:

• Watch and read together. Stay nearby while your teen watches or reads the news. Ask her what she thinks about what she is watching and reading. Ask, too, what feelings she has about it. Offer to answer questions or talk about her concerns.
• Choose factual news outlets. Tell your teen not to rely on information from tabloids, or social media posts and websites put up by unfamiliar or biased groups. Encourage your teen to compare coverage of a particular story in several different sources.
• Remind your teen about good news. Media reports often feature bad news because such news is more unusual or sensational. Suggest that your teen check out sources of positive news, such as The Good News Network.

Brought to you by:

Nye County Schools
Pahrump, NV

[School Success Ideas for Families]

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