We spend a lot of time talking about self-care for adults, but we really need to talk to teens (and tweens) about this stuff, too.

Teens have a tendency to do A LOT - that’s how the teen brain works. They want to do all the things! But keeping a super busy schedule doesn’t leave much time for self-care.

During this pandemic, teens are not necessarily doing all the things, but they do have additional worries weighing them down. The lines between school and home are blurry, making it difficult to actually engage in relaxing activities during downtime.

I have a lot of my teens making their own self-care coping cards with reminders to do the things that help them feel calm and regulated. By posting these cards on their desks, they have a better chance of actually making time for their self-care routines. Some even create reminders on their phones!

We all need to learn how to take care of ourselves so that we learn to manage stress effectively.

-Katie Hurley, LCSW

Author of A Year of Positive Thinking for Teens, No More Mean Girls, and The Happy Kid Handbook. Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Speaker.

Follow her on Instagram @katiefhurley

Above picture is an excerpt from Katie's upcoming book, A Year of Positive Thinking for Teens.