Hi, I’m a 13-year-old girl and I have a sister who is 11 years old. We are having hard times….because my Nana is waiting to have surgery on her back next Monday (she has Spinal Stenosis and Arthritis in her spine and she is very active which makes it even harder for her to sit still and not do things, she is in a LOT of pain too and falls because of the numbness in her legs which is from all the medications she takes). I am loading up on homework and my mom has two of us to help with it. She is getting stressed and wants it all done but doesn’t have the energy to do it! And even more amazing my dad loses his job very soon. Right now he still has one. He’s worried about not being able to find another job that earns enough money to support a family. He’s very smart and loves animals. We have one dog and one Syrian hamster. Also on top of all that I have Dyslexia & ADHD which makes it really hard for me to do my home work and stay on top of things. But we will be okay if my dad can find a job.
CONSIDER THIS:
- When nothing seems to be going right in your life it can make you feel worried and anxious. You are strong for enduring these hard times despite the constant difficulties.
- Remember that everyone goes through difficult times. Be patient and positive because good things will happen again.
- Volunteering could give you something to fight for and might make you feel less helpless. Some organizations to consider are The Humane Society, Amercian Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity.
- You could become more active in helping your dad find a job. You can search online or locally and give him some ideas.
- Find another activity to focus on like drawing, reading a book or learn something new like how to play a musical instrument.
- Find something to make you laugh like a comic strip, comedy movie or humorous book.
- If you need someone to talk to you can head to the Teen Central website and click the Help tab then call the Crisis Textline or another phone number that might help you.
- Write or create art in a journal you let out your feelings in a healthy way.
- Your dad may qualify for financial assistance if he loses his job so try not to stress too much. Maybe he has family or friends that can help him out.
- Your dad may need your encouragement to help get him through everything. Find ways to make his day brighter like telling him how much you care about his job issue or buy him a special gift to uplift his spirits.
- Being spiritual in hard times can make them easier to bear and have a calming effect on your mind and body. On the Teen Central website click the Learn tab then Spirituality to learn more. Spiritual activities include prayer, meditation, yoga or attending church.
- It might be fun to focus more on taking care of your pets. Pets provide unconditional love and even endless entertainment. You can pamper them or bake them tasty treats. They’ll probably love the extra attention they receive from you too.
HELP YOURSELF:
- Can you think of other ways to help your dad find a job?
- Is there anything you can learn from this negative time to help you in the future?
- Can you imagine how your positive efforts to help yourself and your dad might help you in the future?
