Parents cause teens to be anxious and depressed by making this one common mistake, experts warn
A new poll revealed that most U.S. parents are wary of letting their teenagers venture out on their own — despite it possibly being detrimental to their personal growth and development.
The team at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor surveyed over 1,000 parents across the country with children ages 13 to 18, originally reported on by Science News.
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The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health found that fewer than half of parents would allow their teen to stay alone in a hotel room while they stepped out for breakfast.
Even fewer — about one-third — would permit their teen to walk alone to a nearby coffee shop, and only one in five parents said they'd be comfortable with their teen exploring an amusement park or museum solo.
Not allowing your kid to have any independence will hurt their personal growth.
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More drastically, one in five parents say they have never allowed their teen to be away from them while on a trip.
Experts say teens need opportunities to build confidence and independence.
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Experts have long warned that today's children are growing up with fewer chances for independent play and exploration.
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Compared to previous generations, teens today are less likely to walk or bike to school alone or even hold part-time jobs, thanks to their paranoid parents.
This drop in autonomy comes alongside a worrying rise in mental health issues among teens, including anxiety and depression.
While some researchers caution against drawing direct connections between the mental health crisis and parents' protectiveness, others are more certain of the correlation.
'It's absolutely no surprise to me that we are seeing these dramatic rises in anxiety, depression, even suicide among teenagers,' Boston College psychologist Peter Gray told Science News.
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However, he noted there's still hope.
'If we reach some families and just approach this upcoming summer a little differently, I feel like that's a big win,' Gray said.
Experts suggest that allowing your child to give input on where you vacation and setting rules allows parents and teens to set boundaries that both are comfortable with.
For example, most parents agreed that having teens check in by phone (64%), asking them to stay with friends or siblings (62%), and telling them to stay in agreed-upon locations (55%) would bring them comfort while allowing kids to find their independence
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Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Images: 4x6/Getty Images (5)) 'Japanese walking' isn't new, but the workout recently gained legs on TikTok: People credit it with making their walking routines more exciting and leading to an array of benefits, from weight loss to better heart health. While its name is derived from research conducted in Japan, this style of workout—known as interval walking—is popular around the world, and for good reason. It involves walking at a high intensity level for three minutes, followed by three minutes at a lower intensity, on repeat for at least 30 minutes, four times a week. 'We know that exercise matters, and we know that intensity matters,' says Laura Richardson, an exercise physiologist and clinical associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan. 'I think it's caught on because it's so sustainable—it's short, it's doable, you don't have to be in a gym, and there are lots of benefits to walking.' 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'You won't see the benefits necessarily at those lower levels, but you'll be training your body,' she says. You don't even have to aim for a 30-minute workout. Since learning about Japanese walking on TikTok a couple months ago, Yvette Hill has been doing it during downtime, like when she's waiting in parking lots to pick up her kids from various activities. Sometimes she ramps up her intensity until she reaches one corner of the lot, then slows down until she reaches the other, tweaking the program to fit her needs. 'If you're busy, this is a great way to fit in exercise,' she says. 'It's so easy and less intimidating than jumping into the gym.' Adopt the right stance When you increase your pace and shift into a high-intensity interval, it's important to pay attention to your posture. 'Get your spine up, get your chest up, and really think about swinging your arms,' Richardson says. That helps engage more of your body, while adding power to your steps. Find a timer system that works for you Many fitness trackers, including the Apple Watch, have a built-in feature that allows you to set up your intervals in advance. That way, your device will alert you when it's time to switch gears, Hoffman says, and you don't have to fiddle with a stopwatch. Read More: Are Walking Pads Worth It? Another option: Time each interval to a favorite song. 'Most songs are about three minutes long,' Richardson says. 'That's a good way of timing your exercise.' Add some accessories If you struggle with balance issues and want to make sure you're safe, experiment with walking poles, Richardson suggests. 'They can give you an extra bit of stability,' she says. 'If someone's a little hesitant—maybe an older or deconditioned person—using a hiking stick or trekking poles can give you an extra set of so-called legs.' Be mindful of different types of terrain One of the reasons walking is so accessible is that you can do it anywhere. That said, high-intensity exercise will feel different depending if you're walking on a treadmill, nature trail, hilly roads, or the beach. 'Your heart rate's going to respond differently to all those different terrains,' Richardson says. Pay attention to what works best for you—you might find, for example, that you love the built-in challenge of walking on the sand or crave quiet moments in the park. Make it even more challenging Like any other fitness program, there are ways to adjust interval walking to fit your needs. You could wear weights on your arms or even carry small dumbbells to get a better upper body workout, Hoffman suggests. Or switch things up and do squats or lunges for one of your high-intensity intervals. 'This idea of intervals could be applied to different targeted areas of your body,' she says. 'It doesn't have to be just walking.' Contact us at letters@
