#AdolescentWellbeing

The devastating letter from a fifteen-year-old girl describing her accidental discovery of her father’s anonymous social media account—filled with bitter complaints about motherhood, harsh criticisms of his daughter, and concerning hints about depression—has exposed one of modern family life’s most dangerous hidden fault lines that threatens to shatter trust and psychological wellbeing throughout Thai households. This heartbreaking confession illuminates a growing epidemic where parents treat public internet forums as private emotional diaries while sharing digital devices with curious teenagers, creating perfect storms of psychological damage that force adolescents into inappropriate adult caregiving roles while exposing them to disturbing revelations about their parents’ private thoughts and mental health struggles.

A recent nationwide US survey reveals a remarkable finding: 90% of teenagers report that exercise makes them feel happy, yet half admit their fitness levels decline during school holidays—a trend with clear relevance for Thai families as the summer heat and academic break threaten to sap teens’ motivation to move. The study, conducted by Planet Fitness and summarized in a recent Parents.com article, asked 1,000 teens aged 14-19 and their parents about physical activity and well-being, surfacing fresh insight into how exercise fuels adolescent happiness—and practical approaches families can adopt to keep teens active despite seasonal slumps.