Are you at risk of raising a couch potato? The pendulum seems to swing in one direction or another for most teens. Either they are very active in sports at school or they’ve developed an obsession with social media, video games and movie streaming. It’s a parent’s responsibility to find a happy medium. Not all teens are athletes and shouldn’t be pushed into team sports if they’re not of that ability or mindset. Non-participation in team sports is not, however, carte blanche for them to spend endless hours staring at a screen. This thwarts creativity and establishes a very unhealthy, sedentary, lifestyle. Take this advice from the pediatric health specialists to ensure your teen strikes the balance between leisure time and athletic pursuits.

To find this balance, consider taking advantage of the awesome deals offered by Groupon coupons and allowing your teen to select one new game per month from the huge selection available at Gamestop. For those non-athletic teens, the challenge for parents is to simply get your teens outside. Going for a walk, roaming on a skateboard or spending a day at the pool are all pursuits most teens enjoy. Dust of the bicycles or invest in a new one and encourage your teen to ride. Puberty brings about huge physical and emotional changes.  Healthy eating habits are a huge contributing factor to emotional and physical balance.  A teen’s self-esteem is often elevated or diminished based on their body type. While in no way fair, this is often the case given pressure from both peers and media messaging.

Finally, encourage your teen to discover their passions. One way to do this is to simply introduce them to various activities. It might be hiking trips or kayaking opportunities.  It’s safe to say, teens (and adults) don’t know what they haven’t been exposed to. Explore options together. Encouragement and support go are critical in successfully engaging your teen in new activities. Have them elicit the participation of a good friend to make the activities even more enjoyable. Best of luck to you – parenting is the most difficult and most rewarding job you’ll ever have!