The moods of teenagers are something to be reckoned with. A moody teenager can and often does control the mood and tone of the family home and all members in it. Hell, even our puppy suffers when our dear son is having a spat! So how do we survive and emerge the other end with our sanity intact?

In our family, we monitor 5 areas fairly closely and it is not onerous or anything new. Our focus is ensuring our teen has quality sleep, a good diet, plenty of exercises, vitamins and minerals are balanced, and most importantly, giving them our time.

Create healthy sleeping habits for your child

A critical element of managing teen moods is sleep. Sleep allows our bodies to repair. Interestingly the teenage brain grows as much during this period of development as it does in utero, hence why sleep is so fundamental.

Develop clean sleeping habits for the whole family, yourself included. There should be no technology in the bedroom. A connected teen is an awake teen. It is nothing for them to text each other in the middle of the night and continue a random conversation, thus ensuring they lose sleep. Multiply this over a week. The sleep deficit is mind blowing.

Educate your teen the importance of a heathy balanced diet

What kids eat greatly affects what we receive out of it, in the way of verbal abuse or tantrums. As they grow up they want to choose what they eat and we know this includes junk food. This is tough. They are always hungry, even if they say they are not.

Encourage them to take small foods, such as dried fruit and nuts, and stick them in their pocket for school, allowing them to snack all day. Have a plentiful supply of fruit and vegetables, discuss with them the benefits, and encourage them to meet a daily quota.

They are much more likely to eat said food if they understand why and realize that you are not restricting what they eat. They will, in time, come to learn the importance of a healthy diet. Remember, you have modeled this for years; they are just experimenting with the alternatives!

Introduce crucial supplements for growth and metabolism

For many reasons, many of our teens are in deficit of several essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for their development. Magnesium and vitamin B supplements are fundamental for both genders because they support their muscles, hormones, nervous system, and development.

I know it is tricky to get our teens to throw back vitamins, but turn it into a family affair. Most of us benefit from these two crucial supplements, so model to them and encourage them to see and experience the benefits.

Engage them in more exercises

Our kids are not doing enough exercise. We know this and the media reminds us constantly. And yes, I am going to repeat it, they need exercise.

It helps them burn off energy and release endorphins, which make them feel more positive. If their exercise is in the form of a team sport, even better, it keeps them connected to other young people in a positive manner.

As with each and every stage of your child’s development, our teens need our time.

Listen actively to what they are saying. Offer guidance and support in a non-judgmental manner. Celebrate their successes and support their difficulties. As much as they want to spread their wings and leave the nest, they still want to know that you have their back, no matter what.