Articles for families with teens

Our teen wellness articles offer practical advice for parents and caregivers of teens in junior or senior high school (grades 7-12).

Schools and school authorities are welcome to share these articles with parents in newsletters, bulletin boards, and other communications.

We've organized our library of articles by topic below:

• Mental health
• Nutrition
• Oral health
• Physical activity
• Sexual health
• Tobacco and vaping
• Truth and reconciliation

Mental health

Help your teen connect with nature for better mental health Research confirms that when young people spend time outside, they’re able to handle stress and tend to have better moods. Let’s explore some ways to spark your teen’s connection with nature.

Talking teen romance Teen romance has its ups and downs. Here are some practical tips to support your teen through their first romantic journey.

Resolutions: The growth mindset way Making resolutions is easy but sticking to them can be hard. Try these tips to help your teen set goals with a growth mindset.

The SEL advantage: 10 tips to support teens Social emotional learning (SEL) is about learning everyday skills to handle emotions, cope with stress, interact with others, and solve problems. SEL isn't just for young kids. Try these 10 ideas to support your teen's SEL journey.

Engaging with your teen's school experience As your teen moves through the junior and senior high school years, your involvement in their school community shows them that you value and care about their education. Here's how to support your teen’s school journey.

Just be there The day-to-day relationship you have with your teen matters. Your support nurtures their well being, and you play a key role in noticing problems and responding to them. These tips can help you be there for your teen.

Show yourself some love These are trying times. As a parent or caregiver, remember that your mental health matters just as much as anyone else’s. It’s important to find ways to balance caring for yourself and caring for your teen. These strategies can help.

How to help your teen with school changes Back-to-school changes can be intimidating. Teens like to know what to expect, so it’s natural for them to be curious (and even worried) about what the school year will look like. Your support will help them feel confident, capable, and secure.

When life goes virtual: Tips to help your teen stay well with screens These days, it might seem like your teen is always on a screen—a smart phone, tablet, TV, computer, video game, or other tech device. In these unusual times, be there to help them navigate their online experiences.

Bullying: 5 ways to help your teen Bullying is never okay. It’s not a normal part of growing up. As a parent or caregiver, here are some important ways to prevent and address bullying.

Rise and shine! Healthy sleep habits for teens Sleep is especially important for teens. Get tips on how to form healthy sleep habits for you and your teen.

Cultivating kindness Acts of kindness have been shown to help students learn and do well at school, and to lower their stress. Try these ideas to cultivate kindness!

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Nutrition

Back-to-school lunch hacks for your teen With back to school season in full swing, making school lunches is back on the agenda.With a little planning and creativity, packing school lunches can be a lot less daunting and can even help your family save money.

Food marketing and your teen Food marketing is incredibly powerful. It can influence the food and drinks teens ask for, buy, choose, and consume. Help your teen stand up to food marketing with these tips.

Healthy eating in stressful times Stress can disrupt our eating habits.  Here are some tips to help your teen and family make healthy eating a priority.

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Oral health

Sugar buzz: Protect your teen's teeth April is Oral Health month in Canada. It’s a great time to brush up on what it means for your teen to have a healthy mouth.

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Physical activity

Do something different: Multisport and teens More than ever, researchers, medical experts, coaches, and top athletes are rallying behind multisport. Let’s explore five key reasons for multisport and how you can support teens.

Get set for adventure: Physical literacy and your teen Physical literacy is a person’s motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activity for life. Learn more here!

Be an influencer: How to get your teen moving Though it may not always seem like it, teens notice and care about what adults say and do. This is especially true when it comes to physical activity. Read on for tips to influence your teen's physical activity.

Cold weather life hacks Winter weather is a reality in Alberta, so braving the elements is an essential life skill for teens. It can be tough to venture out in the face of cold, wind, snow, and ice—but it’s important! Use these tips to help your teen and family stay active as temperatures drop.

Walk. Roll. Repeat. Active travel can help teens build skills they can use for life, like planning and time management. It can also help them gain independence, and find joy in physical activity. Here’s what teens can do to walk or wheel this summer, and what you can do to help.

Activate your teen in the great outdoors There’s a clear link between spending time outside and our overall sense of well-being. Try these tips to activate your teen in nature.

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Sexual health

Consent and your teen Consent is giving permission for something to happen, like an agreement to do something. When teens learn about and understand consent, it helps them develop better relationships with family, friends, peers, and romantic partners.

Take pride in your words Get to know words and phrases related to gender and sexual identity. You'll feel more comfortable and confident talking with your teen, and may have more open and honest conversations.

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Tobacco and vaping

Vaping and teens: Your questions, answered. Vaping rates have surged among young people recently. In this edition, we’ll answer common questions about vaping and offer tips for fact-based, meaningful conversations to support teens.

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Truth and reconciliation

Acts of reconciliation you can do with your teen Reconciliation is about creating and maintaining respectful relationships between Indigenous and settler (non-Indigenous) people in Canada. Here are some ideas to help you and your teen take part in reconciliation.

Talking with your teen about Orange Shirt Day Commit to having conversations with your kids about residential schools. It’s not easy, but it’s important. Here’s how to get started.