When working with teenagers in life coaching sessions, I often talk about how they see themselves online and offline. Are they the same person online as in real life? They may behave differently online than they do when talking in person.
- Do they talk differently?
- Do they have a different persona?
- How do they want to be seen?
- When they are with their friends in person, how do they behave?
- Is it the same as online?
- Do they like who they are?
- Is there anything they would improve about themselves, like being more considerate, more inclusive, more forgiving?
There is always room to become a better person, but it takes understanding for your teenager to know who they are right now, be aware and want to improve.
If your teen is acting differently online and wants to make a change, how could they do that? Here’s how parents can help their children with this.
How to Be Better Online And Offline
One thing parents can do is help their teen take responsibility for their actions both offline and online. This includes how they speak, post and react, especially on social media where tone can easily be misunderstood. Encourage teenagers to pause before responding and think about the impact of their words.
Teach emotional regulation so kids can manage their frustration without lashing out when something triggers big emotions – both in real life and online.
Parents can encourage good communication such as listening, showing empathy and not jumping to judgement online. Remind them that kindness online is just as important as in-person behaviour.
Help children understand the impact of comparison culture, constant scrolling and curated images on their self-esteem and support them in choosing positive content and online communities that uplift and educate.
Teenagers also learn a great deal from what they see at home, so parents have a powerful influence. Model being a good person and having self-confidence.
A bit of self-reflection can make a positive change in how teenagers behave. We all want our teenagers to be kind, respectful and confident people who can thrive both online and offline. This can happen when we give clear boundaries and supportive conversations so they make responsible behaviour choices.
Read: 10 Life Skills Teenagers Need
Life Coaching for Teenagers – Get Support with Developing Life Skills
Life Coaching for Teenagers – Get Support with Developing Life SkillsCoaching or guided conversations can really help teenagers move through this process. If your teenager is not quite getting it right with their friends, please get in touch, and we can start looking at how to remedy that.
