Parenting Daily

There are some things that teens are doing that parents may wonder, “Is that okay? Should I be concerned?” I always encourage parents to listen to their guts—if they are very suspicious about something, there may be good reason. But other times, it may just be lack of information or familiarity with something that leads parents to worry. Below are some trends that I, personally and professionally, think are okay for teens. Remember, though, that your household is your household. If you feel strongly that something is not okay, you have the right to enforce that in your home. I’m just offering a different perspective and opinion to consider.

1. Vitamins    

Vitamins are good for everyone! A good, daily multi-vitamin is recommended for nearly anyone 2 years old and older. If you’re concerned, call your family doctor and double-check. What you should be concerned with is supplements. Most kids, if they are eating a well-balanced diet and taking a basic multivitamin, do not need any sorts of supplements unless they are suggested by their doctors. Do the research yourself, though, if your teen has a bottle of something you’re not familiar with. Don’t be afraid to banish something that is unnecessary or makes outlandish promises of weight loss, clear skin, muscle building, etc.

2. Water        

As long as your (or their) wallet can handle the price of the expensive bottled waters out there, it’s fine. There are “green” considerations, though—all the plastic from all those water bottles are taking over our landfills. Some of the flavored waters actually have a lot of sugar and/or carbohydrates in them that are unnecessary. But regular bottled water, though probably no better than tap water, probably won’t hurt your teen. It’s a bit of a status symbol for teens but drinking water is a good habit for picky teens.

3. Tea             

There are lots of articles out there about the benefits of tea (black, green, white, and oolong). There is some caffeine in tea, which can be a concern for parents. But it’s less than ½ the amount found in a cup of coffee and certainly less than in cans of Mountain Dew or other energy drinks.

4. Reading     

One of the greatest gifts my mother gave me was a love of reading. One way she did this was to never censor the books I chose. I’m sure there were times when she thought, “What is that?!” but she kept her mouth shut. For her, it was more important to encourage and develop that love of reading than to discourage it by telling me I couldn’t read this or that. It’s a principle that I agree with and plan to follow with my own daughter.

5. Music         

This is probably one of my more controversial views. I do not think there’s any point to censoring the type of music your teen listens to. Note that I said “teen”. I do not think it’s appropriate for toddlers and elementary students to listen to gangster rap that’s full of words you don’t want them repeating. They don’t have filters developed yet to know what is appropriate and what isn’t. By adolescence, if your teen is still impressionable enough to be persuaded that song lyrics equate with real life, you have bigger problems than the music itself. However, I am not saying that you should turn a deaf ear to your teen blaring their preferred music any time they wish. If their preferred music isn’t your type of preferred music, you need to establish those limits with them. I, personally, can’t stand loud music. Headphones were invented for a reason!

6. Writing      

Teenagers feel strong and confusing emotions during adolescence. For a lot of them, they feel they have no one they can really trust with their innermost thoughts. Therefore, writing becomes an escape. I see a lot of teen boys who express these thing through writing song lyrics or through drawing and doodling. Teen girls tend to prefer journaling (diaries) and poetry. **DISCLAIMER** A pattern of violent drawings, “hit lists” (where kids list everyone they would kill), and writing about lots of violent things can be strong indications that your teen needs professional evaluations and help by a psychologist and/or therapist. Please do not ignore that kind of writing/drawing/doodling. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

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