Teens fall in and out of love so fast that sometimes the romance ends before they get to their next class.
Some move on quickly after a breakup, but other teens have a hard time understanding what caused their sudden split. It can devastate them and cause them to spiral into a state of confusion and depression.
Breakups among teens are inevitable. While some high school sweethearts stay together and even end up marrying, most don’t. Less than 2% of all marriages are high school sweethearts.
Most likely, you’ll be helping your daughter get through a breakup and a broken heart. If you find yourself consoling a heart-broken teenager, there are a few things to remember:
1. Be there for her. Your daughter’s heart has just been broken, and she needs your unconditional love. Hug her as she cries. It may take a few days or even a few weeks, so be patient.
2. Keep your feelings to yourself about how you feel about the guy who just broke your daughter’s heart. You might say something that you’ll regret if the romance rekindles in the future.
3. Let your daughter work through the breakup. Don’t try to fix it or talk to the boyfriend or his parents about it. Instead, let her talk with you about her feelings. This will help her figure out what she wants in a relationship in the future.
4. Keep your daughter busy. Try something new like a sport or craft. During a breakup of my own, I remember my mom taking me to the golf course and teaching me how to play golf.
I didn’t really want to hit a little white ball around to get it in a hole in the ground, but after I started swinging, I was determined to master the game. Not once did I think about him for the rest of the afternoon.
Remind your daughter that she is beautiful, valuable and worthy of true love. A breakup isn’t the end of everything. It’s just a step on the path toward discovering herself and her true, eventual love.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37.4)
