For teens in the time of the coronavirus outbreak, anxiety raises many questions. Will I graduate on time? Will this affect my college scholarship? Will the prom be cancelled? How do I stay at home with a critical parent or difficult siblings? And the list goes on.
Pam Schuller, director of Here.Now., offers insights into how teens can navigate this uncharted territory – based on teens’ own responses. Here. Now., a teen mental health initiative, is a program of our partner The Jewish Board.
In times of trouble, it’s especially time to “think out of the box,” Pam suggests during a recent online talk. And she adds, “It’s also a time when acting silly and having fun, online, is important to help build resilience in teens.”
Some ideas teens suggest are below and you can see a more complete list here.
- Mundane Awards Ceremony that highlights the most mundane thing a teen did during the day
- Virtual lunchroom where teens join a video chat and eat together
- Teach Your Talent to a parent or sibling – yoga, juggling, knitting, playing a ukulele, whatever it may be — share it!
- Online Board Games to play one-on-one with a friend
- Viewing Party where teens watch the same TV show or movie together and then during commercial breaks or after the show give their favorite lines or reviews
- Karoke Night on Zoom
- Open Mic on Zoom
It’s all part of staying in touch with each other that’s safe, creates community, and brings some laughs into a teen’s world during these uncertain times.
To learn more about Here.Now., contact Pam Schuller at pschuller @jbfcs.org.