Building Confidence Through Self-Discovery
Where does self-confidence come from? According to researchers, confidence is built from both external elements, like a positive family environment, and internal elements, like a strong sense of self. To develop a strong sense of self, tweens and teens need opportunities for self-discovery: learning about their unique character, beliefs, abilities, and feelings. By exploring themselves, […]
Using Spark as a Family
Here’s a little-known fun fact about Lucero: Long before we built an app, we created Quest Cards: a conversation card deck with questions that youth and families could use to spark conversations around the dinner table. With prompts like, “If your personality were a color, what would it be?” and “Tell a story about one […]
Raising Your Teen to Embrace Vulnerability
When parents are asked what qualities we hope for in our teens, we use words like kindness, courage, resilience, and purpose. Vulnerability probably doesn’t make it onto many lists, but maybe it should. According to clinical social worker and researcher Dr. Brené Brown, embracing vulnerability – including our imperfections, mistakes, and difficult emotions – is […]
Why Being More Present is so Important for Teens
Did you know that learning to be more at home in the present can give teens a brighter future? Being more present gives them tools to manage stress, reduce anxiety, increase their focus and build emotional resilience. And since adolescence is a critical time for brain development, teens who practice presence are learning healthy habits […]
How Healthy Habits Can Improve Your Connection to Yourself and Others
Connection is a cornerstone of teen mental health. But what does it mean for teens and tweens to feel connected? Imagine that each positive relationship in your teen’s life is like a single strand in their individual safety net. Many relationships equal a strong safety net. When they’re struggling, make a mistake, or need help, […]
How Healthy Habits Help Teens Navigate Transitions
Imagine that you’re an explorer about to journey into unfamiliar territory. You have no idea what challenges you’ll face, so you need to fill your pack with tools to help you stay safe and find your way. Adolescence is a lot like that: exciting, scary, and full of transitions. And just like explorers, teens need […]
Why Confidence is so Important for Teens
Here’s a cool, little-known fact about the word confidence: it comes from the Latin fidere, which means “to trust.” If you’ve used the Lucero App, you might have seen this word before. Hint: It’s the title of Island 2 because the 28-day experience is designed to help improve your sense of confidence. You could say […]
5 Keys to Your Teen Finding Their Purpose
Not so long ago, researchers thought a sense of purpose was only important for adults. Now they agree that purpose is critical for teens, too. Recent studies show that teens with a sense of purpose benefit from better mental and physical health, a more positive self-image, and an easier transition to adulthood. “Purpose is not […]
3 Ways to Help Reduce Anxiety in Your Teen or Adolescent
The latest news on anxiety in adolescence comes from The US Preventive Services Task Force which is currently considering a final recommendation that all children aged 8 to 18, be evaluated for anxiety. Having earlier evaluation would aim to identify anxiety issues, put in place recommended interventions for specific age groups, and help prevent anxiety […]
Nurturing Empathy in Your Teen
The teen years can be turbulent. Parents often report that at the onset of adolescence, their kids undergo a sudden shift in attitudes and behavior. Even kind, thoughtful kids may become demanding, insensitive, and selfish at times. Parents can take heart in the understanding that teenage brains are still developing the foundations of empathy and […]
