In this final episode of the Teen Life Podcast’s series on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why, the Teen Life staff is talking about the role of adults in teenagers’ lives.
Mental Health Articles and Episodes
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3 Ways to Follow Through
Saying nice things to teenagers is easy…following through is the hard part! Recently I went to lunch with a teen who talked about the power of following through. In the midst of loss, she needed people who would actually show up. Who would stop right there and pray for her. Who would send follow-up texts telling her they were thinking of her. Who would ask about lunch and make it happen. She said the nice things people said meant nothing if they weren’t backed by actions. I have a confession. I am guilty of this. But we can change that! We can be better, more supportive, and more invested. Here are three easy ways to follow through and mean it.
13 Reasons Why: Relationships
Relationships are a critical part of a teenager’s life, and for this episode, we are focusing on romantic and friendship relationships between the characters in 13 Reasons Why.
Going Beyond “Good Job”: How to Praise Teens
You’re talking to a teen and they tell you about a situation where they had to make a choice. A friend was pressuring them to do something wrong, something they have always done. In the past, this teen would have chosen to go along with their friend, to give in to the pressure to do something they know is wrong. This time though, they chose to do the right thing. They tell you that they ignored their friend all weekend and chose to stay home. The teen chose to not participate in the wrong-doing. You say something like, “That was a great choice!” The teen looks at you, shrugs off your comment and moves on. This teen just revealed a life changing moment for them and they get a “great job”. We think we just praised them for doing the right thing when in reality, a moment was missed to truly dig deep and offer meaningful praise to a teen who is struggling.
13 Reasons Why: Sexual Assault
The Teen Life Podcast looks at how safe adults can help teenagers approach difficult topics, like rape, consent, male rape, and virginity.
13 Reasons Why: Recovery
Learn what teens are being exposed to when it comes to recovery from the loss of a loved one, an attempted suicide, substance abuse, sexual assault, and more.