A psychologist shares seven ways parents can support tweens and teens through the unstructured stretch of summer.

Summer brings freedom, but for parents of tweens, teens and young adults, that extra unstructured time can also bring extra worry. Psychologist Rochelle R. Robinson says the season is a meaningful window for parents to check in on their child’s mental health, and she has laid out several ways to do that without turning every conversation into a lecture.

Teen mental health looks different than it used to

Robinson points out that today’s teens are navigating a world shaped by constant social media exposure, heavy academic pressure and complicated questions of identity, a landscape quite different from the one their parents grew up in. She stresses that a single approach will not work across every age, noting that what resonates with a 13 year old will likely fall flat with a 19 year old, so tailoring conversations to a child’s actual maturity level matters more than following a script.

Seven ways parents can support their teen this summer

1. Talk about social media before it shapes them. Robinson notes that platforms built around comparison, particularly image heavy ones, can chip away at a teen’s self esteem well before a parent notices anything is wrong. She recommends setting clear boundaries around screen time and checking in regularly with simple, open questions about how scrolling actually makes a teen feel.
2. Recognize that bullying looks different now. Cyberbullying does not stay at school. It follows kids home through their phones, and Robinson encourages parents to stay alert to its signs while keeping communication open, including regular conversations about friendships and what makes a friendship genuinely healthy.
3. Keep the conversation about sex ongoing. Rather than treating it as a single talk, Robinson suggests parents revisit the topic repeatedly as kids grow, focusing on values and boundaries rather than biology alone, and creating space for older teens to ask honest questions about identity and sexuality without fear of judgment.
4. Be direct about substance use. Even as heavy drug use among teens has declined, experimentation with things like marijuana and vaping continues to rise. Robinson frames open dialogue as more protective than punishment, encouraging parents to discuss real risks while staying attentive to shifts in behavior or hygiene that might signal a problem.
5. Model healthy conflict resolution. As teens push for more independence, friction is inevitable. Robinson suggests parents set expectations ahead of disagreements and handle conflict calmly when it arises, listening to a teen’s perspective even when it differs from their own, since that models respect rather than avoidance.
6. Keep some structure during break. Robinson notes that research consistently shows meaningful learning loss during unstructured summer months, so she encourages parents to blend rest with light routine, whether that means spacing out summer reading or folding small educational moments into the day.
7. Give teens space for their own expression. Robinson developed a journal called Just Me and My Thoughts specifically to give teens a private outlet for reflection and identity exploration. She also reminds parents that their own mental health matters in this equation, since a parent who is running on empty has less capacity to support a child through a difficult moment.

Staying present matters more than getting it perfect

Robinson’s overall message centers less on any single technique and more on consistency. Parents who stay engaged, keep communication open and adjust their approach as their child grows are better positioned to help teens navigate a summer that can otherwise feel unmoored, even if no single conversation gets everything exactly right.