As if it were simply a part of life, it is perfectly normal for a teenager to feel troubled. Teenagers can be susceptible to stress from family life, school life, friends, homework and so many other contributing factors, and so becoming a little troubled feeling from time to time is not uncommon. What matters is how the teen deals with these troubled thoughts and feelings, as well as how the parents help the teen during this time.

What many teenagers do not realize during this time is that the parents have to cope as well, and cannot always easily do so. Just as the teen is going through a troubling time, helping them through it can be taxing on the parents. As a parent you need to have some coping strategies in place that you can turn to. When you know how to deal with a troubled teen, then that is when you can truly be there for your son and daughter.

Support groups are a great way to develop some coping skills. Just as there are support groups for teens who are dealing with issues such as these, there are also groups designed for parents that are going through similar troubles or who are trying to develop coping skills to help their teens get through these issues. Support groups can really be powerful in the way of developing coping skills because you will be surrounded by parents that are going through exactly the same thing that you are going through. Everyone is going to bring different experiences to the circle and so the odds are good that you are going to walk away with new knowledge and understanding.

If you do a little bit of research, then you may find that there are a number of different groups in your area. Look for both online and in person support groups on a variety of different subjects and situations in order to make sure that you are getting the emotional help and support that you need. Even better is if you get your child into a support group as well so that everyone can benefit from this type of therapy and support for healing.

Even though things might be a little messed up in your family right now, arranging for family time can be a great coping mechanism. Take your entire family out to a movie once per week, or have a family dinner and play board games. Do what is going to allow your family members to bond, which means that you should choose activities based on what interests the children and the adults. Switch things up and do something different every week, just make sure that all of the family members are involved and that everyone is having fun. If you’re unsure of what type of activities to engage in, try doing an Internet search for “family activities,” “activities with teenagers,” and similar subjects to get some great ideas that you can pursue.

Music is an outstanding way to cope, especially if you put together custom play lists that contain songs that soothe you. One of the best things that you can do is use a service like Pandora Radio, which uses an engine to suggest music based on what you already like. Choose a song that suits your mood and Pandora Radio will play other similar songs by similar artists. Listening to music can definitely help you cope with what ails you, including your own stressors and whatever happens to be going on with your teenaged child at the time.

Meditation and the recitation of mantras can be an excellent coping mechanism if you are stressed out. If your teen’s trouble is giving you trouble, consider meditating every day or reciting mantras that calm you. Share a little bit of this wisdom with your teen and maybe the two of you can meditate together. Meditation is good for everyone, regardless of what ails you. Meditating every day can help to ground you so that you can deal with the stress in your family in a more effective manner. Meditations and mantras are both really healthy practices that you and your teenager can both engage in as a means of coping with whatever ails you.

Exercise may not initially seem like an excellent stress reliever or coping mechanism, but the truth may surprise you. Exercise is good for all of your parts: mind, body and soul. If you engage in walking, running, bicycle riding, yoga, pilates or aerobics, you are going to feel better. Exercise is good for your body, it will help you sleep better and it improves your mood because you release endorphins to feel better all day long. If you are not already exercising on a regular basis, then now is the time for you to pick up the habit because it is going to go a very long way in helping you cope with what ails you.

Ultimately it is going to be up to you to decide what coping mechanisms will work best for you and your teenaged child. If you can find ways to bond with them and help them through what ails them, though, then this is going to be preferable to trying to cope on your own. If you show your teen that you want to help them get through whatever is troubling them, then it is going to be easier for you to get your teenager the help that they need. If you have a troubled teen, then finding coping strategies that are going to work for you and your teen is an important first step.