Caring for Your 15 to 18-Year-Old

Becoming a young adult is exciting, difficult and scary for both parents and teens. Learning to be independent does not happen overnight. Parents worry about their child’s health, safety and success. This is where you need to trust the job you have done. You can let go, but stay connected. Open and honest communication is the key.

• Encourage your child to do things for his or her self like doing their own laundry or packing their own lunch. Then let consequences happen, no need for special punishments if they are irresponsible. Not doing laundry means there might be anything to wear.
• Your child should also help with the work of the family. You might have a family meeting to decide who does what.
• Your child will have to make more impactful decisions as they mature. One way to help them is to sit together and think through options. Discuss the difficulties, possible solutions, and consequences of each solution.
• Set aside time to interact with your child daily. Continue sharing, listening and asking questions. You want to know what your teen is doing and they should know about you as well.
• Regular physical activity is fun and healthy. The goal should be to do some type of exercise every day.

• Eat meals together as a family, whenever possible.
• Always ensure that your child eats breakfast. Skipping it deprives their brain of essential nutrients needed for concentration, short-term memory and processing information. If time is limited in the morning, have them fix breakfast the night before or pack a breakfast to go.
• Have healthy snacks available. Stock low-fat, low-sugar low-salt snacks. Healthy convenience foods include:
  Yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted nuts, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, hard-boiled eggs, popcorn (unbuttered), applesauce and bagels.
• Offer fruits and vegetables at meals and as snacks. Be sure your child is drinking low-fat milk or eating dairy products to maintain good growth, and healthy bones and teeth.
• Adolescents tend to fall short of their daily quotas of calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin D. It is preferable to obtain nutrients from food instead of dietary supplements.
• Discuss the use of nutrition sports supplements with your child’s pediatric healthcare provider.
• Be a role model for your child by making healthy choices.

• Show your child how to manage pressure and peacefully settle disputes. Encourage open discussion and refrain from being judgmental.
• Understand that mental health disorders are treatable. Educate yourself about teen mental health so you can be attentive to your teen’s behavior. Severe or abrupt changes in their behavior can be a strong indicator of serious issues.
• If you have concerns about your teenager’s mood, motivation or safety, talk with him or her. Your child’s pediatric healthcare provider can help with this conversation.
• Help your child discover an enjoyable activity outside of school. This can be sports, art, music, and volunteer work – anything that helps your adolescent feel accomplished and proud.

• Hug and praise your child for behaving well, being polite and trying hard in school. Tell them you are proud of them when they did something right.
• Criticize when necessary, but say it constructively, “You almost got the answer. With a little extra work, I am sure you will do better.”
• There may be times when you and your teen do not agree with each other and conflicts may occur. Solve problems with respect for your child. Giving advice to a young adult is much different from telling a child what to do. Fights don’t solve problems; they make new ones.
• Be a role model for your teenager. Demonstrate how to use appropriate words when angry, advocate for him or her in school and apologize if you make a mistake.
• Support your teen in decision-making. Encourage your child to think about the future and begin to plan for it.

• Teens should brush their teeth twice per day, using fluoride toothpaste. Daily flossing is encouraged.
• Be sure your teen sees a dentist every six months for routine checkups.
• If possible, teens should wear a mouth guard during contact sports.

• Use sunscreen when spending time outdoors.
• A helmet should be worn when riding a bike, skiing, sledding, ice skating, horseback riding, skateboarding, and in-line skating. Riding an ATV is discouraged.
• Know your child’s friends and their families. Know where your child is after school, and what he or she is doing.
• Teach your child to be safe with other adults. Encourage your child to tell you when a person or situation makes him or her feel unsafe.
• Help your teenager make smart and safe decisions about sexual activity. Be sure your child knows that healthy relationships are built on respect and that saying “no” is okay.
• Teach your child about the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol, and drug use. Your child’s doctor can help you with this conversation, but it is important for your child to know he or she can come to you with any questions.
• If you have a gun in your home, be sure the ammunition is kept separately from the weapon and that these are both kept safely locked away.
• Set expectations for safe driving, including:
  • Proper use of seatbelts
  • Avoidance of substances and situations that alter reaction time and judgment (alcohol, drugs, fatigue)
  • Minimizing distractions (cell phones, overcrowding of car)
  • Respecting fellow drivers
  • Assessing driving conditions and other safe driving practices