January 2012-Parent Tip on Managing Mood Swings
The first thing you as the parent will want to do is rule out any medical issues that may be causing the mood swings. If your child is a teen, mood swings are developmentally normal as there is a surge in hormones and emotions from puberty. (See the Developmental Milestones for 5th-8th grade within this website as well, to read about normative social/emotional behaviors.) If there is no medical cause for them, it would be important for you to help your adolescent or child recognize what the signs are when she/he is heading into a frustrated/irritable or sad emotion. What are the physical signs and triggers that cause them? Charting moods on a mood chart would be helpful in investigating common and frequent occurences and can help your child either prevent certain situations or change their thought patterns around them.
Next is teaching your child coping skills when the mood hits him/her such as practicing calm down strategies or role-playing skills. It would also be important to make healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and limiting screen time. Lastly, try and help your child find their own interests and passions. This may take time but showing that you are his/her advocate will go a long way in giving them confidence. Remember this as you navigate the pre-adolescent and teen world:
"Children respond to parental:
Love with new growth
Pride with new daring
Trust with new faith in themselves
Disappointment with curdled self-concept
Rejection with withered embrace in life
Loss with a subtle or over death of heart."
Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/teaching-values/752-emotional-issues-change-as-kids-grow.gs?page=1
As always, please feel free to call me or email me at [email protected] and 206-329-3260 X220.
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor, MSW, LICSW
Next is teaching your child coping skills when the mood hits him/her such as practicing calm down strategies or role-playing skills. It would also be important to make healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and limiting screen time. Lastly, try and help your child find their own interests and passions. This may take time but showing that you are his/her advocate will go a long way in giving them confidence. Remember this as you navigate the pre-adolescent and teen world:
"Children respond to parental:
Love with new growth
Pride with new daring
Trust with new faith in themselves
Disappointment with curdled self-concept
Rejection with withered embrace in life
Loss with a subtle or over death of heart."
Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/teaching-values/752-emotional-issues-change-as-kids-grow.gs?page=1
As always, please feel free to call me or email me at [email protected] and 206-329-3260 X220.
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor, MSW, LICSW