Use small gestures to maintain connection to your teen
The end of the school year can be a busy time. You may feel as though you live with a tornado rather than a teen. Your teen may not have time for a special parent-child activity, but you can still connect. Even the busiest teens have to eat. Chat while you share a snack. During study time, offer to quiz your student on that day's class notes. In the car, ask how things are going. Your teen may open up when you aren't sitting face to face.
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Keep your teen's creativity in working order
As kids get older, they often lose interest in creative activities. But creativity helps teens build thinking skills and express themselves in healthy ways. So encourage your teen to exercise imagination. Suggest writing a story about characters from a favorite book, show or movie. You might challenge your teen to invent a recipe or redecorate a room. Or perhaps your teen can come up with a creative solution for a family issue.
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Help your teen brainstorm reasons to thank a teacher
Research links feeling grateful with increased happiness and interest in school. Your teen's school success depends on the efforts of many people. During this Teacher Appreciation Week, ask your student to think about teachers who have made a difference. How have they helped? How have they influenced your teen's thoughts and ideas? Together, think of ways your teen can show gratitude to these special teachers.
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Keep these STUDY guidelines in mind
To help your teen succeed in school, think of the word STUDY. S is for Schedule. Help your teen learn to use time effectively. T is for Team. Work with your teen, the teachers and the school counselor to develop an education plan. U is for Use a daily planner. Your teen should write everything in it. D is for Define weaknesses. Urge your student to work with the teachers on ways to overcome them. Y is for You, your teen's greatest advocate.
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Shift attention from problems to solutions
Teens need to learn to solve problems independently. But they sometimes need a little steering in the right direction. When your student wants your help to solve a problem, shift the focus to what your teen can do to make it right. Ask: What in this situation is working well? What is not working well? What results are you looking for? What would you have to do to get those results?
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Start new habits by taking the screen-free challenge
Teens today spend hours a day on recreational screen time, often using multiple screens at a time. This time displaces creativity, productivity and physical activity. Next week is National Screen Free Week. It's a good time to break the habit. As a family, turn off your screens and make a list of activities to do instead. Don't worry if your teen complains about being bored. Boredom often leads to creative thinking!
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To protect teens, some secrets have to be shared
Your teen tells you a secret: "Riley uses drugs." Should you keep the secret? You want your teen to feel it's OK talk to you about anything, but there are times you must share what you know. If you have reason to believe a student is in immediate danger, tell that teen's parents and the school. If you can prevent a dangerous situation, such as a party with alcohol, speak up.
Help your teen plan for a great spring
In the spring, students' schedules are often packed with sports, plays, final projects and exams. A planner can help your teen prevent details from falling through the cracks. Encourage your student to write down all assignments, due dates and test dates as well as extracurricular commitments. Then your teen can use the planner to schedule time to do homework and review, and figure out in advance if obligations overlap.
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Ask questions to prevent a spring schoolwork slump
As the days become longer, students' attention spans often become shorter. To help your teen stay focused on schoolwork, ask questions about assignments. Which was the most interesting? The most difficult? Keep track of the time your teen spends on homework and studying, too. If there's a decline, making a comment like, "Your teachers have sure let up on the work suddenly," may be enough to fix the problem.
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Support your student in effective ways when you are short on time
Family life can be so hectic that it may seem impossible to get involved with your teen's education. But there are lots of things you can do in small amounts of time. You can help your teen establish a homework routine or identify some learning goals. You can contact the school and ask about something you're wondering about. And it's always worth making time to listen to your teen.
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A personal dictionary helps students define their terms
One way your teen can strengthen vocabulary is to make a personal dictionary. Encourage your student to write down two to five new words that crop up during the day in a small notebook. Your teen can put a word on the front of a page and its definition on the back, and then flip through the book to do a self-quiz. At dinner, encourage your teen to practice using some of the new words in conversation.
Team up with the school if your teen has a learning disability
Students with learning disabilities can succeed in school. You can help your teen by working with the school to find resources such as tutors and special education services. Be up front about your teen's disability. Teachers and counselors can help only if they know about an issue. Together, discuss strategies that may help your teen. At home, help your teen build on strengths and explore talents.
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Your teen and the school are counting on you
Your teen needs your support to work well in school, and the teachers and school staff depend on it, too. Here are some important ways you can help: Ask your teen each day if there are any messages from school, and respond to them promptly. Ensure that your student gets to school on time, prepared to learn. Stay in contact with the teachers. And be a reading role model at home. You'll set your teen up for success!
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Social skills are school success skills
To teens, being liked is a big deal. Friendships can even affect their school performance. Talk with your teen about what it takes to be a good friend, such as honesty, generosity and listening. Help your student practice cooperation by doing projects together and by looking for opportunities to compromise. Expect your teen to be kind, and discuss ways to reach out and support friends.
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Encourage your teen to plan for effective studying
Successful students plan to study smarter, not longer. They know their learning goals and plan how much time they should devote to studying each day. They have a set homework time and plan their schedules around it. They know which books to bring home on which days, and where to get help if they need it. Encourage your teen to spell out these and other ways to study smart in a personal study plan.
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The saying, "Parents are a child's most influential teachers" is just as true now as it was in elementary school. Here are a few important ways you can help your student learn: Encourage your teen to keep a journal. Read as a family, and let your teen see you read for pleasure. Ask about what your teen is studying, not just about grades. And whenever you can, help your student make connections between schoolwork and daily life.
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Researching careers is a great summer occupation
The U.S. Department of Labor issues one of the best resources for teens (and adults) to find practical information about careers. "The Occupational Outlook Handbook" provides current information about hundreds of careers, including the education and training needed to prepare, average salaries and employment outlooks. Have your teen check it out online at www.bls.gov/ooh.
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Make sure your student athlete has a healthy spring
Is your teen highly involved in spring sports? This time of year can take a physical toll on teens as they try to play sports, maintain grades, prepare for tests and finals and make summer plans. Playing sports is great. Just help maintain a healthy balance by making sure your teen also eats well and gets enough sleep. And if grades begin to slip, consult your teen's counselor, teachers or coach.
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Typical teen behavior can be challenging…and exciting
The teen years can be a challenging time for kids and their families. Typical adolescent behaviors include: struggling with a sense of identity, self-consciousness, being influenced by peers, moodiness, wanting more freedom, being less affectionate with parents, testing rules and changing friends often. On the bright side, most adolescents are able to express themselves better, and many enjoy learning more.
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To develop responsibility in your teen, be specific
You can't wave a wand and make your teen suddenly more responsible. But you can change specific behaviors. For example, if you want your teen to improve homework habits, list specific tasks you expect (bring the homework home, do it at a regular time, etc.). Encourage your teen to use organizational tools, like an assignment book and sticky notes to mark what to bring home. Then praise your student when you notice changes.
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