Helping Teens Develop a Sense of Purpose

One of the best ways to help teens determine if they’re on the right track is to help them develop a sense of purpose. Not only are they more likely to get what they want out of life, they’ll also gain physical benefits like sleeping better and experiencing less chronic pain. They may also live longer!

So, how can parents help teens create a life of meaning? Greater Good details five strategies to help teens develop a sense of purpose. One opportunity challenges parents to focus their attention beyond today (this afternoon’s homework, for example) and pay attention to tomorrow (asking open-ended questions about long-term goals and how they imagine their life decades from now).

You can read “Five Ways to Foster Purpose in Adolescents” here.

Greater Good is the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.