How to Help Your Heartbroken Teen
Watching your adolescent go through heartbreak can be difficult for a parent. Some key approaches can effectively support them through this phase.
To remember
👉 Listening to your teen without judgment or minimizing their pain creates a safe space for them to express themselves freely.
👉 Respecting the time needed for their healing process while encouraging them not to isolate can aid in their emotional recovery.
It can be painful for a parent to watch their teen suffer. To help you can:
show acceptance
listen without judgment
give them time the time they need (heartbreak that lasts a long time can be difficult for some parents to accept)
empathize with them, try to see the heartbreak through the eyes of a teenager instead of those of an adult
not minimize their pain
avoid using clichés (ex. “there are plenty of fish in the sea”).
How Long Will They Be Heartbroken?
The length and intensity of a broken heart varies from person to person, everyone goes through it at their own pace. People tend to think that a broken heart should be forgotten as quickly as possible, but it is important to take the time to heal, whether this is days, weeks, or even months for some.
Keep in mind that the level of distress caused by a broken heart does not correlate to the amount of time that the relationship lasted. For example, a teen can experience a great deal of heartache even if the relationship only lasted a few days or weeks.
💡You can share these short videos about love to your teen.
Il se peut que votre jeune n’ait pas envie d’en parler. Peut-être qu’iel a besoin d’être seul.e dans sa chambre pendant quelque temps pour vivre sa peine. Si vous voyez qu’iel souffre trop et qu’iel ne reprend pas le dessus, n’hésitez pas à l’amener vers des ressources: un.e adulte de confiance, vous-même, un.e intervenant.e de l’école, un.e professionnel.le, un.e ami.e proche.
