Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect on all the things in our life that make us grateful. If you have teenagers in your life, you might be experiencing a wide range of emotions as you raise them, and gratitude might not always be the first one you can think of. Certainly, teens can be frustrating, moody, and push all of our buttons. While this can be true, youth also offer new possibilities and perspectives to us.

Underneath our teens’ attitudes, boundary-pushing, and roller coaster emotions, they are still children who desperately want to be accepted and valued. Most adolescents are racked with self-doubt and pummeled with societal pressure from all sides. Honestly, the teen years are tough, so it’s no surprise that the teens in your life are pretty hungry for some encouragement.

In honor of Thanksgiving, today’s blog offers you just a few ways to demonstrate your appreciation for your unique teen. You never know how just a little appreciation can make a big difference to someone, so use the holiday season to shower your teen with a little gratitude!

• Thank them for the things they do to meet your expectations. Yes, you expect those things, but you reinforce that you appreciate your teen actually doing what you want when you express your thanks.
• Reach them with technology! Send them a little text or meme that expresses your love, pride, or appreciation.
• Compliment them whenever you see them doing something nice for someone else or going above and beyond on a task or chore.
• Think about a skill, trait, or interest that makes your teen special, and tell them what you think is cool about their strength or why you think it will make them successful.
• Be interested in their interests: get to know their friends, attend their events, and ask them questions about their hobbies.
• Whenever they talk to you, give them your undivided attention and don’t interrupt.
• Say yes sometimes! It’s easy to get in a habit of saying no without really thinking about the request. Give your teens a bit more freedom, allow them to take some reasonable risks, and give them the space to make their own decisions.
• Make a habit of spending one-on-one time with them. It might be just a few minutes each night before bed or it might be a monthly date to their favorite restaurant, but find some quality connection time in your busy schedules.
• Demonstrate your love with small affections. Leave them notes telling them how amazing you think they are. Pat their shoulder as you walk by or give a hug before bed. Make their favorite meal. Celebrate their achievements.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We see a lot of reasons to be thankful for our teenagers, and we hope you do, too! Everyone here at Middle Earth wishes you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving.