Life can feel overwhelming — but mental health support doesn’t have to. In honor of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, FLORIDA TODAY is sharing a series of short, accessible “Five Things” stories aimed at helping you feel informed, supported and a little less alone.
Today’s teenagers are growing up in a world that rarely slows down. Between academic expectations, social pressures, packed schedules and the constant buzz of phones and social media, many teens are carrying emotional loads that previous generations never had to navigate at such an intensity or speed.
And while stress has become so normalized that some teens barely recognize it anymore, mental health experts say the effects often show up quietly — through irritability, exhaustion, withdrawal, anxiety or emotional shutdown.
As a licensed mental health counselor in Merritt Island, Carla Haughton regularly works with teens and families struggling to find balance in an always-on culture that rewards achievement but often leaves little room to rest, process emotions or simply breathe. While parents cannot remove every pressure their child faces, Haughton said they can play a powerful role in helping teens feel emotionally safe, supported and better equipped to regulate stress in healthy ways — by demonstrating the behavior themselves.
Here are Haughton’s five tips to help parents ease the stress.
1. Connect before your correct
When a teen is stressed, a parent’s instinct is often to jump straight into “fix-it” mode. However, Haughton explained that teens often interpret unsolicited advice as an insult or an annoyance because they think you believe that they aren’t capable. Instead, she said, start with validation, like, “that sounds incredibly overwhelming,” or “I can see why you’re feeling pressured.”
“The point is to help them feel heard,” Haughton said. “Once they feel understood, their nervous system begins to settle, making them more open to the actual solutions you suggest.” And, she added, it’s important for parents to model the behavior they seek, by “narrating your process” — meaning, show them how you navigate stress.
“Say, ‘I’m feeling really frustrated about this email, so I’m going to take a 10-minute walk before I respond,'” Haughton advised. “This models for them that you can take a step back to process, with self-awareness, healthy coping skills, and thoughtful responses — instead of impulsive reaction.”
2. Prioritize sleep as a non-negotiable
According to Haughton, the biological clock of teenagers makes them natural “night owls,” but their school schedules don’t care — and it’s up to parents to make sure they stay on track.
“Chronic sleep deprivation mimics and exacerbates anxiety,” she explained. “Help them create a time when phones are docked outside the bedroom — even an extra 45 minutes of sleep can improve their emotional regulation and ability to handle stress significantly.”
And, she said, let them see you be imperfect. “If you burnt dinner or missed a deadline, show them that the world didn’t end by avoiding any harsh self-criticism. Model self-compassion by demonstrating that mistakes can be survivable and that perfection is not required for worthiness.” For example, you could say, “Well, that didn’t go as planned, but we’ll figure it out.”
3. Teach the power of ‘no’
Help your teen take an audit of their schedule and give them permission to drop something without feeling guilt.
“Many teens suffer from the ‘achievement culture,’ where they feel like they must excel in sports, classes and clubs simultaneously,” Houghton said. “Learning that they have power over their own time is an important life skill that prevents burnout. Make this a practice that occurs periodically to ensure that they stay on task with their goals but remain realistic with the weight of their schedule.”
Even small habits, she explained, like putting your phone face-down during conversations, communicate that people matter more than notifications and teaches your child healthy boundaries with electronics and the importance of being present.
4. Create a pressure-free zone
Every parent loses patience sometimes, but Houghton said, it’s about knowing how to reconnect after conflict.
“This teaches your teens that conflict does not have to destroy relationships and that healthy people take responsibility for their behavior,” she said. “If you raise your voice or react harshly, model accountability by apologizing sincerely, for example —’I was frustrated, but I should not have spoken to you that way. I’m sorry.'”
She emphasized that your home should be a sanctuary — not just a boarding house.
“If every conversation at the dinner table or at home revolves around grades, college applications, or chores, then the teen never gets a mental break,” Houghton said. “Designate times or areas in the home where their performance isn’t the topic of discussion. Talk about a show you’re watching, a funny news story, or nothing at all — letting them lead.”
5. Encourage them to engage in active relaxation
Scrolling through social media isn’t relaxing — as Houghton explained, it’s a consumption that often leaves the brain feeling “wired and tired.” Instead, encourage them to participate in activities that promote their flow states such as drawing, playing a game, or even baking. Because while these activities require enough focus to distract from stressors — they aren’t graded or judged. “Children need to see that adulthood is not just about stress, work and responsibilities and when parents make time for hobbies, creativity, friendships, movement, or rest, they model a balanced and emotionally healthy life,” Houghton said. “When children see parents protect their time for things they enjoy, they learn that a fulfilling life includes both responsibility and happiness.”
This reporting is supported by a Journalism Funding Partners grant. Mental Health Reporter Jennifer Torres can be reached at JMTorres@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 5 ways parents can help teens regulate stress in a high-pressure world
Reporting by Jennifer M. Torres, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
