High school years are the toughest years of a teenager’s life. Teens have a lot to juggle with assignments, SATs, extracurriculars, jobs, and college applications. Navigating through the ups and downs of this challenging journey can be made easier if parents play their part right.
Stay Engaged
A common misconception among parents is that older teens don’t need any parental support regarding school. On the contrary, engaging parents have better-performing adolescents in high school than those that are not. Although parents need not micromanage and scrutinize every moment of their teenager’s life, it is still essential to be updated about it.
A report card isn’t sufficient to identify all issues, especially mental health and other hidden troubles that your teenager may be harboring. Get to know your teen’s teachers to glean an overview of your child’s performance.
You will also be able to identify if they are falling behind expectations, need additional academic help, or have behavioral issues. You may benefit from individualized or gifted education plans if you have a special needs child.
Finally, keep in mind that you are free to request conferences with teachers, counselors, and other staff at any time of the year.
Know The School
Though your teen is a good source of information regarding school activities throughout the year, it is not unlikely that they may forget events given their busy schedules.
Head to the school website for the school calendar, test dates, assignment deadlines, and other educational resources for your teen. You should also note upcoming trips, school events, and the extracurricular activities available to enroll your teen. Keep contact information of staff for emergency purposes.
Furthermore, you should familiarize yourself with the school layout and have a general idea of the gym, cafeteria, classrooms, and playgrounds so you can converse more easily with your teen regarding their school day.
Create A Distraction-Free Environment
High school students juggle their plate-completing assignments, submitting reports, preparing for SATs and ACTs, and more. Hence they must have an environment they can focus on uninterruptedly.
It could be a corner in the bedroom, any TV-free room, or a space in the living room. Although teens commonly have to work with laptops and iPads regularly, they are very likely to be distracted by social media and procrastinate on homework. Avoid this by checking in on them periodically or using apps that restrict access to the sites when they are working.
However, your teen must learn to control their impulses better with age since they will have no one to monitor them once they are in college. A study plan with regular breaks and proper deadlines will help them achieve all their due work within time to allow them to enjoy personal time.
Encourage Your Teen To Get Help
It is only natural that your teen may not be able to grasp all that is taught in class and get stuck on specific topics during homework. You may likely not remember everything from your high school days to help your teen. Talk with your kid and discuss the best way to approach their problems.
Some kids benefit from after-school homework clubs, individual sessions with their teachers, peer help, and even tutoring. College students and other high school students offer affordable tutoring options.
If you end up aiding in homework, ensure not to do it for them. That way, they will not learn from their mistakes and will have no motivation to improve themselves.
Encourage Reading and Extracurriculars
The monotony of schoolwork can get overwhelming and make a child dull. Engage your teen in more enriching activities that will give them a break from studies and benefit them intellectually.
Reading is one such great pastime. Try to avoid being picky with what your teen reads as long as they are reading a book. This reduces their screen time and allows them to appreciate the beauty of literature better.
Get them involved in sports and extracurricular activities. Help them with items for their non-academic pastimes. Get the best volleyball shoes for their practice sessions so they perform better in their next match.
Send Your Teen To School Ready To Learn
Mornings are difficult for adults and even more so for teenagers. Start their day by giving them a nutritious breakfast, so they have enough energy to go about their day.
A balanced breakfast rich in grains, vitamins, and protein and low in added sugar is ideal. But if they are late, pack a healthy snack like fresh fruits, yogurt, or sandwiches.
Sleep is another essential aspect that should be maintained regularly. An ideal sleep time is at least 8 ½-9 ½ hrs for teenagers. However, we all know that given their packed schedules, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs, that is sometimes impossible to achieve.
A well-rested teen is more attentive in class, has a sharp memory, and performs better than their tired peers. Make it a house rule to turn off all devices at least an hour before sleep and be consistent with their sleeping and waking times.
Instill Organizational Skills
Organizational skill is an important life skill that is unfortunately not exclusively taught in schools. This is why parental guidance is essential so they can have this valuable skill as adults.
Use study planners and calendars to keep track of all important school events. Arrange a time for studies, extracurricular activities, and any part-time jobs into specific time slots in your schedule, and note down the to-do list of the work you need to complete for the day.
Sort out binders and folders based on subjects so that all work materials are within easy reach. Additionally, for teens working part-time, set aside how many hours they can work. Many teens end up exhausted from their working hours, which can lead to low attendance and poor grades in school.
Take Attendance Seriously
Attendance and punctuality are essential virtues that must be cultivated as a habit so that they can carry them well into adulthood. Although the occasional leave for sickness, non-academic commitments, or simply a break is permissible, try to avoid making this a habit for your teen.
Often, skipping school may be due to underlying issues like bullying or depression. Discuss with your teen or their friends and school counselors for more insight and solve them before they build up.
Poor sleep can also cause tardiness or absences, which can be rectified with a proper sleeping schedule that your teen adheres to.
Conclusion
Any change takes time to display results, and good habits take time to cultivate. An effort should be made by both the parents and the teen’s ends to make these habits fruitful.
Remember, the most helpful advice is that as parents, you must always be available to support your teens in any way you can. Supportive parents have the most successful teenagers, both academically and emotionally.
