Along with discovering their aspirations, one part of life that teens will experience while growing up is the journey towards finding their place in the world. Whether your child studies at an international school in Manila or elsewhere, this journey will help him forge his identity as a teen and a person.
However, if there are some teens who take this journey in stride and immediately find success, there are also teens who have difficulties with fitting in and finding their own circle of friends. This struggle is one of the more challenging parts of teenage life and can cause a whole slew of negative behaviors and habits that they might carry upon adulthood.
As parents, the best way to help your child overcome this struggle is by giving him a helping hand into finding a place where he feels that he belongs.
Establish an environment of positive acceptance at home
Overcoming the struggle to fit in should start at home. Providing a positive environment that encourages teenagers to express themselves will help create a place where your children are able to build their social skills.
Developing social skills is one of the most important aspects of being able to interact and make friends. Fostering an open and accepting environment at home will also provide your child with a platform that encourages him to try out different things and help him hone or develop his interests.
Openly talk about struggles and challenges
Along with providing a positive and encouraging environment at home, it is also important for you and your child to openly talk about his challenges in school, making friends, or finding his passion. You can also share some stories about your struggles as a teen as well. This can help your child understand and fully realize that he is not alone in this struggle.
Having someone to talk to about his struggles will prevent him from developing repressed feelings that can escalate into negative emotions. Having healthy discussions can also help you and your teen find solutions together and form a stronger parent-child relationship.
Encourage and motivate them to try out new things
One reason that your child may struggle with fitting in is that he is trying to adjust to the interests of fellow teenagers despite it not being something that he really wants to do. This will only hurt his motivation and make him feel less accepted, which is why encouraging him to try out new things that he would be more interested may be the better approach.
For example, he can try out a new musical instrument, sport, or even pursue other activities such as writing, dancing, and painting. Your child may not be able to find one that fits his interests right away, but giving him a chance to try different things will help him get closer to finding his true passion. This will also allow him to meet more like-minded teenagers and develop strong friendships along the way.
Key Takeaway
Whether your child studies at an international school in Manila or elsewhere, fitting in is one of the biggest challenges of teenage life. Fostering an encouraging and healthy environment for your children will help them find the best ways to overcome it and become better versions of themselves. By helping them find their passion and letting them express themselves, they will be able to find their own way to fit in and find a group of friends.
