Book to help boost a teenager

malky800

Tue, Dec 10 2019, 3:55 pm

My teenage daughter is under alot of (normal) high school pressure. Homework, cheesed programs
Now she is in drama.

As a normal teenager she is moody and keeps being down and her stomache always hurts. A teacher she talks to suggested I take her to a social worker to help her let it out

I feel like she is going through normal teenage behavior. She also resents going to a social worker and how they say 'how do you feel today'.

Maybe someone has a book that I can work with her or she can read on her own? Something to help her get through regular teenage emotions.

Doesn't have to be Jewish but appropriate

Ruchel

Tue, Dec 10 2019, 4:11 pm

Chesed programs should be voluntary. Teens have enough on their plate. Same for extra curriculars. But again I'm european Smile

More seriously the social worker (!!) can only make her feel as a neb, and even a therapist will only "help"/"work" if it's wanted.

groisamomma

Tue, Dec 10 2019, 4:46 pm

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

DD and her friends used 7 habits odd highly successful teenagers. They liked it and found it helpful. I glanced at it and didn't find it objectionable.

Not OP, but I have kids this age. Van you post a link?

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Dec 11 2019, 9:50 am

I only have pre-teen girls and teen boys, but my experience thus far is that giving a book for self-help at this age and trying to get them to help themselves is easier said than done Sad

Is she interested in working with you to figure out stress coping mechanisms? It depends on your relationship. If not, I am not sure that she can do this on her own at her age.

One thing I did purchase (actually for younger kids, no way would my teens agree to do it Smile

) was a workbook with different CBT exercises so while it's not a process of ongoing "therapy", at certain times, we can take out a sheet to reflect through triggers and responses and plan out our minds graphically. I just used it on/off, not as a replacement for ongoing support.

And are there social workers who don't just start out with a touchy-feely "how was your day"? It could be just a matter of finding the right match, not stereotyping the whole field. Are there guidance counselors in school who aren't of that type?

Hatzlacha!! Good for you for watching out for your daughter's emotional (and hence physical) well-being Smile

FranticFrummie

Wed, Dec 11 2019, 9:57 am

"The Worry Worm" by Rabbi Zev Ballen. It's written for middle school and younger, but it's really cute and gets the message across. Basically, these two worms are in an apple, talking to each other. The outside world is scary, and then their bodies start changing, and they think they are going to die. Next thing they know, they've turned into butterflies!

I still like thinking that when everything seems darkest, that's when I'm about to turn into a butterfly.

(I know, worms don't turn into butterflies. Caterpillars do, and sometimes they turn into moths. Work with me, people!)