Busy teens can mean successful futures

Soccer practice, band rehearsal, French club and not to mention homework; with all that your teen has going on, it may be difficult to catch a few moments of their attention. Now a new study finds that keeping your teen busy may really be better for them.

Looking for reasons to get your teen out of the house?  Developmental psychologists studied over 10,000 teens from across the country. They found that teens who were more involved with a sport had more self-esteem.  Those who were more involved in sports and clubs were more physically active, and those who were involved in music also had more self-esteem. These activities are thought to be good for teens because they help provide kids with greater social support from teachers and adults within their communities.

So how can parents get their teens more involved? Have teens take part in activities as a family or help your teen find activities that interest him or her. Also, encouraging them to have a friend take part can give them an extra boost in confidence.

The study also found that teens who had more teacher and adult guidance instead of peer influence, were less likely to abuse drugs.