[N] And, parents should take even small, seemingly silly concerns seriously. Validate your tween’s concerns even if they make no sense to you. If your child says, “I’m depressed because I have no friends,” you’re going to want to remind the child of the many kids who adore him or her. Resist that temptation because it won’t help the child feel better. Instead, start with, “If I thought I had no friends, I’d be depressed, too.” You’re not agreeing, you’re communicating that you understand and, at the least, your child’s problem has been heard.
[O] Don’t minimize your child’s concerns no matter how ridiculous they seem. Listen carefully and neutrally, then ask your child what he or she needs from you. Above all, your most important role is to be a consistent and loving presence as your child navigates the intense highs and lows of young adolescence.
36. Parents are supposed to be someone who was loving and supportive as their children are dealing with the disturbing situations of adolescence.
37. Since most depressed teens usually go unnoticed, it’s time for parents and teachers to pay more attention to this problem and do more in identifying and addressing teen depression.
38. As teens get in middle school, the challenging and school tasks may cause youngsters to feel depressed while trying to catch up with their peers in study.
39. Parents are advised to keep calm when young children say or do something disturbing. Otherwise, children most probably will keep silent about their problem.
40. Parents tend to be unaware of their teens’ mental problems because young children are more likely to feel at a loss about their mental status than older ones.
41. When a child says he is depressed about a trivial thing, parents are expected to step into his shoes and take his words seriously even if they are seemingly silly or ridiculous.
42. After entering middle school, tweens may face a situation when there are fewer friends and less caring adults around them.
43. Parents should be mindful about danger signals in their teens, such as experiencing strong sadness or showing signs of self-hurting.
44. If a friend of your child feels somewhat depressed, parents are supposed to encourage their child to report the friend’s problem to a trustworthy adult.
45. Parents are urged to teach their depressed kids some effective strategies to evaluate their problems and hopefully solve them.