Encouraging Teenagers to Take Control of Their Health Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. There are no affiliate links included in this post. All thoughts are my own and no other. This post is now in the guidelines of the FTC. Preparing and helping children for being independent and adulthood is something that all parents face. There are so many lessons we need to teach them as parents, from learning to drive, dealing with curfews, education and further education, as well as working through some difficult topics with them, to name just a few.  One of the things that we need to teach our children and teenagers is how to deal with their health and be able to manage their health by themselves. It is something that can be hard to let go of and let them deal with alone, but it is one of the important lessons that will help to set them up for life. When we guide our teens towards this responsibility, they will be equipped to make the right decisions for themselves, and know that no matter how much it tastes good, waffles and whipped cream isn’t a substantial meal that will keep them healthy!  The teenage years can be difficult for many, as there are certain elements of their health to think about, from drugs, alcohol, sex, healthy eating, and exercise. All of which can have some consequences, both positively and negatively. So what can you do to help? Here are some things to think about if you are like me, and have teenagers in the house. image Lead by example If you want to truly have an impact on your teenager and show them that looking after their health is important, then you need to lead by example. If you are invested in your own health, then it shows to your teens that it is important and it also demonstrates some healthy habits that they could also adopt, that will help them as they go about their future.  Health insurance and costs It can be a good idea to discuss and talk about the costs of being unhealthy and health insurance with teenagers. Many teens and young adults will be on their parent’s health insurance for a while, usually until age 25 or 26, but they need to know and understand how it all works, as they will need to get their own eventually. Talking about what can impact a policy and mean that you’re not covered is important too. For instance, discussing Brad Schaeffer of Medcomp Sciences could help, as he is responsible for the urine tests that can determine the presence of drugs, prescription or otherwise. If they get caught with the wrong thing, then it could invalidate their insurance, so they need to know the ins and outs and how it all works.  Choose age-appropriate topics The teen years can vary widely, with the health concerns of a thirteen-year-old varying quite wildly from those of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old. So when you’re helping your teen to take care of their health, then something that works for me is making sure that what you talk to them about is age-appropriate. As an example, talking about medication and what is taken and why could be a conversation for a younger teen. For an older teen, you could talk about getting their own prescriptions and other topics such as mental health.  Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. There are no affiliate links included in this post. All thoughts are my own and no other. This post is now in the guidelines of the FTC.