Get to know your teen’s spark.

Building Resilient Families By promoting positive mental & physical health

Mindfulness helps us learn to pay attentionto our bodies, minds, and the environmentand to understand our feelings with a kindand curious mind. Being mindful can helpus focus and concentrate better. It alsoallows us to pause or calm down whenstressed, angry or sad.

Moving your Body is important to buildpositive self-esteem, improve mental andphysical health and decrease stress andanxiety. It can also help with braindevelopment, creativity, learning, andconcentration. It is an awesome way tolearn new skills and create positiveconnections with others. Wow! Being activehas a lot of benefits!

Building a strong brain includes understanding feelings,thoughts, and behaviours. It also means learning skills andstrategies to cope through difficult times. Through simple actionsyou can help your teen expand their mind, build resilience andcreate a healthy growth mindset.

The 40 Developmental Assets are building blocks that allchildren and youth need to grow up great. Research shows thatthe higher the number of assets a young person has, the morelikely they are to grow up caring, healthy, and responsible. Youcan build assets all throughout a young person's life.

Fuel your body with healthy foods to benefit both body and mind.Healthy eating increases energy levels, supports a healthyimmune system, improves mood and concentration, and helpscope with the stresses of daily life. Enjoy food with your family tofoster connections and share food cultures and traditions.

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Get to know your teen's sparkConnect with your teenLearn a skill - Teach a skillFind Balance in the Digital World

As your teen leaves childhood behind and begins the journey to adulthood, they still need parentingadults – and other caring adults – to guide, support, and cheer them on as they discoverthemselves and their place in the world. Teens are trying to sort out a complex world and learn howto navigate it successfully. Through exercises to practice mindfulness, move your body, expandyour mind, fuel your body and build assets, you can explore the following five themes with your teenand discover simple and authentic ways to build your teen's resilience, to help them create healthypractices and routines, and to strengthen your relationship.

Acts of Kindness & Volunteering

A resource for parents to help their teens grow up great.

Get to know your teen’s spark.

Every teen has a spark! A spark is more than just a passing interest or talent. It’s what you’repassionate about. It unleashes your energy and joy, gives your life purpose and focus, and allowsyou to make your own unique contribution to the world. A spark is an activity or interest that trulyengages kids to be their best. Find out what spark (passions or interests) your teen has. Ask themwhat they love to do with their free time. Then help them grow that passion!

When a child knows their spark, and has an adult who supports it, they are more likely to havehigher grades, better school attendance and physical health, empathy, concern for theenvironment, a desire to help others and a sense of purpose. It’s never too early to start providingopportunities for your teen to find their spark!

Get to know your teen’s spark

Mindfully communicate with your teen.Pause, really listen, be curious, ask openended questions or say “tell me more” toconnect more deeply. Help them feel goodabout what they already know.

Help your teen experience a variety ofphysical activities to discover what theylove to do. Provide teens withencouragement and a safe environmentto be active; it helps them build skills andconfidence in moving their body and canspark them to be active for life.

Together as a family, create a dream board or paper collage tocapture the passions and interests of each family member. Thiswill help identify each person's spark. Talk together and createa plan on how you can fuel the sparks and help grow thatpassion.

What if you don’t share the same enthusiasm for your teen'spassion? Ask them to teach you about what they love. Havethem show you what they love about their spark. This is a tool toconnect with them.

Get your teen excited and involved with family meals.Encourage them to choose recipes and help prepare meals forthe whole family - it may spark a passion for food!

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Get to know your teen’s spark.

Your teen observes relationships around them. Teens do best when they experience healthy,positive relationships, and as a parent you can model this for your child. Although the teenageyears are seen as a natural time for teens to pull away from parents, this is the time that parentconnection is more important than ever. Peer influences are strong during these years, howeverresearch shows that teens continue to value their relationships with family. Finding ways to stayconnected maintains and strengthens these relationships. Staying involved ensures a life-longconnection with your teen, setting the stage for lasting well-being.

Connect with your teen

Spend time together outside. Take a walk orbike ride, kick a ball at the park. Getting intouch with nature helps you connect with themoment and one another. Observe what yousee, hear or smell, notice how it feels to justbe together.

Be active with your teen. It is a fantasticway to create connection and have fun withthem. Learn about your teen's day by goingfor a walk, bike ride or shoot some hoops.Sometimes the best conversations happenwhen you are active together.

Music can be a powerful connector and enhances mental well-being. Share your favourite music with your teen and havethem share their music with you. Together, build a playlist offamily favourites; then press play and get your groove on.

Have one-on-one time with your teen. Take time to talk to yourteen about things that matter to them. Ask their opinion often.Involve them in planning & decision-making for family activities.

Family meal time is a great time to connect with your teen andoffers a touch point to talk about what's going on in your teenslife. Try to find time for family meals throughout your week. Askabout their day and share something about your day.

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The teenage brain is wired for learning and skill development. When your child tries new activities, itbuilds their brain and it helps them to discover what they enjoy. Teaching others these new skills is agreat way for teens to build their own confidence and responsibility. When teens learn and teachothers, it fosters connections and creates a sense of belonging. Everyone has something to teachand something to learn.

P.S. Help your teen be prepared to take in this new information by staying active. Physical activityimproves the brain's ability to focus and learn new information. Exercise releases BDNF, a proteinwhich is like "miracle grow" for the brain. It allows the brain to take in information, to process andremember it.

Learn a skill - Teach a skill

You can carry mindfulness into all areas ofyour life. When you teach each otheractivities, or are being creative, focus onthe task at hand and notice how it impactsyour body and mind. Teach your children tofind the joy in the journey.

Teach your teen and their friends one of yourfavourite active childhood games. Ask themto teach you their favourite active game andbe ready to play and sweat! You may besurprised at how much fun everyone hastogether.

Pay attention to those times when your teen is hanging aroundor expresses interest or curiosity in your passions, activities orchores. This is a good cue that they want to connect. Invite themto join in the activity which creates an opportunity for them tolearn, connect and engage in good conversation.

Have your teen take the lead and teach you about somethingthey love doing - sport, creative activity, music, woodwork,cooking. When you empower them to lead, you are helpingthem grow up great.

Experiment in the kitchen. Find some new cuisine, cookingtechnique or a new recipe to make with your teen. Build andfoster healthy eating habits and life skills to take with them intoadulthood.

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Technology is a fascinating world. It has impacted every aspect of our lives, especially that of teens.The challenge is to find ways to say "yes" to technology that creates a healthy balance. Throughdiscussion and goal setting with your child, look for creative ways to use technology that promotesgood communication and establishes boundaries. Exposing your child to other activities like sports,art lessons, crafts, book clubs, volunteer work, or taking care of a pet, etc. will help them balancetechnology use.

Role model responsible technology use for your family. You can set limits, promote safety,encourage creativity, and build healthy connections in order to find balance in the digital world.

Find Balance in the Digital World

Meaningful moments occur when we slowdown and tune in to ourselves, one anotherand our environment. Together, use appsto practice activities that focus onbreathing, identify and label emotions, orlisten to sleep stories to decrease stressand promote sleep.

Find creative ways you can be activetogether using technology. Ask your teento show you a game like Just Dance, thelatest active Tik Tok challenge or a workoutvideo online. Step outside of your box andmove together. Explore fun and easy waysto get your heart rate up to improve yourheart and lung health.

Hang out online with your teen and help them find ways they canuse technology. Build a toolkit of resources to access reliableinformation and support to navigate life's challenges.KidsHelpPhone.ca is a great place to start; check out the Get infoand Get help tabs together and start building their toolkit.

Have a conversaton about digital safety. What does it mean touse the internet safely? Set boundaries and expectations aboutresponsible use.

Connect with your teen about social media and how diet culture inthe digital world can impact your teens self-image and view of food. Help your teen view food as nourishment and fuel for their growingbody. Foster a healthy relationship by role modeling foodenjoyment and respect for your body.

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Get to know your teen’s spark.

Kindness is choosing to do something that helps others or yourself, motivated by genuine warm feelings.An act of kindness is good for your mental well-being. It can improve mood, self-esteem and happiness, aswell as reduce stress. Kindness gives us hope, it’s heartwarming and gives us a sense of purpose. Acts ofkindness may also encourage others to repeat the good deeds they themselves have experienced –creating a ripple effect!

Volunteering is the ultimate act of kindness. One of the many benefits of volunteering as a family is todevelop skills that you can apply in all aspects of your life. When you volunteer together, your family bondand community awareness will increase, while you learn new skills and build new connections.

Acts of Kindness & Volunteering

Invite each member of your family tointentionally perform 5 acts of kindness,big or small, to anyone in your community.Smile, walk your neighbour’s dog, donatea toy to charity, silently offer good wishesto those who may need help. Kindnessfosters compassion and connections toothers.

Think of ways to move your body by doingacts of kindness together. Perhaps yourfamily takes a few hours to clean up alocal park, mow a neighbours lawn, orplant some beautiful flowers for everyoneto enjoy. Maybe your teen is on a sportsteam that you can volunteer on. When youtake time to volunteer with your teen, youmake a difference and everyone wins!

Help your teen embrace who they really are and practice self-love. When teens treat themselves with kindness it improvestheir sense of self-worth, resilience, and ability to cope withproblems. Guide them to create a list of affirmations they can tellthemselves daily. Role model this practice for extra benefits.

Together, think of 10 ways your family can serve others. Chooseone idea and set a date to do the activity. Then talk about yourexperience.

Talk to your teen about what interests them and how they couldshare and support others with food. For someone who livesalone, offer to take over a meal, help with groceries, or do somegardening. Giving to others fosters an appreciation of food andcan create a ripple effect of kindness.

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Mental Health Help Line 1-877-303-2642

Healthy Eating for Teens Eat Meals with OthersDiets and Food Trends

Interested in new recipes, ideas for healthy eating, and ways tofuel your body? Visit: Recipe ideas from CookspirationAHS Healthy Eating Starts HereCanada’s Food Guide:

Campaign for Real Beauty The Journey from Dieting to Healthy Eating

Click on the links below to access more resources to build resilience and createsimple connections to help your teen grow up great.

Want to learn more about practicing mindfulness?Check out these great websites and apps: Mindful Schools Mindfulness for Teens

Do you want to learn strategies to expand yourmind? Visit: Greater Good - Parenting and FamilyMindvalley - Affirmations for TeensScreenagers - Screen Time Contracts

Looking for creative ways to help you and yourteen move your body? Visit: Active for LifeParticipAction YMCA Free Workouts Anytime, AnywhereCanadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines

Looking for simple ways to build your teen's assets and help themgrow up great? Visit:Keep ConnectedSparc Red Deer: Strengthening Positive Assets and Resiliency inCommunities

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Booklets from MentalHealthLiteracy.org 40 Developmental Assets AHS help is on the line

Building Resilient Families By promoting positive mental & physical health