If your teen struggles with social interactions at school or outside of school, those problems can overshadow everything else occurring in their life and negatively affect their brilliant life happiness. Consider a teenager who is constantly ridiculed for being overweight, having acne or not wearing the stylish clothing that most of their peers wear. This child will struggle to focus in class due to the taunting and teasing which may include vicious notes being passed during class. Their mind will wander to fears of what may happen after class, and that will prevent them from finishing tests, answering questions and listening to instructions.

There are other social problems that your teenager may struggle with, such as giving in to peer pressure and getting too wrapped up in rumors and other drama. If you know that your child does not currently have the skills to appropriately manage their social lives and it is causing even minor stress, there are three things you can do to intervene before it becomes worse.

1. Clearly identify the problem.

This goes beyond stating the fact that your teen is bullied by other children. Ask yourself why your teen is being bullied or suffering other social problems. Continue asking why until you reach the root problem working against your child’s life happiness.

For example, say you identify that your child is teased because they refuse to go along with the crowd, and that makes them seem different or “goody-goody.” You can see that the solution is not to stop the bullying but to boost your child’s self-confidence and help them find other kids who share their values. As your child connects with friends who also refuse to go along with the crowd and understands their value as a person, the bullies will have far less power over them.

2. Seek help for social anxiety or other conditions.

There is a difference between a child battling a bully or struggling to make friends and a child suffering from social anxiety or another condition that affects their social abilities. If you think your child may have a medical condition that makes it difficult for them to appropriately interact and fit in with other kids their age, right now is the time to visit your doctor and discuss the symptoms you have noticed. It is difficult to achieve true life happiness and social acceptance when you have undiagnosed medical conditions that stand in your way.

3. Practice social skills with your child or seek the help of a student counseling program.

If your child lacks assertiveness, learn assertive training exercises and practice them with your child. It is one thing to be told what to say and do and another thing entirely to actually speak up in self defense. Your child will become more comfortable with those assertive skills with regular practice in a safe environment. You can do the same with a shy child who needs practice saying hello to other children and starting conversations.

The first tip is the most important to improving your child’s life happiness. Your child must step up when it comes to improving life in their social world, but you can become a big influence to encourage change.